The town of Tracy, California will now charge several hundred dollars for emergency calls. The City Council voted on February 16 to approve a contract with a private company that will bill people who dial 911 whenever the fire department responds to medical emergencies or car accidents.

As part of an attempt to close a $9 million budget deficit, city officials in Tracy have sought new ways to increase revenues by charging its citizens for basic services that are normally provided free of charge. Last Tuesday, the Council voted four-to-one to contract ADPI-Intermedix, a company based in Oakland, California, to have a billing system ready by next month. The company will receive 15 percent of all the fees generated by Tracy.

According to an article in the Tracy-Press on February 16, “Residents will pay $300 for every fire department response to a medical emergency. Non-residents can expect to pay $400. There is no set cost for a fire department visit to a car accident. The city is working out an option so that households can pay an annual membership fee of $48, which would cover the cost of any emergency aid given during the course of a year.”

In other words, like some sort of sales promotion on television, if someone expects to call 911 several times a year, they can get a bargain if they “act now” and buy the annual membership. Otherwise, it will cost them considerably more.

One Tracy councilwoman remarked that the next time her husband has a heart attack, she will be tempted to set her kitchen table on fire to avoid paying the fee.

(Thanks to Kevin Martinez)