Anyway we can do this without cuts says Maxcy?  (by: Reasonable thoughts????  -   8/15/2010)

Hmmm. "If there's anyway we can have no cuts for the people of this County," says Maxcy, "That's what I would like to see."
How about commissioners serving as volunteer board or taking a large enough reduction to their salaries to forgoe a paycut for any of the county employees?! (remember this is a part time job and all have other businesses or careers).
Or how about putting the millage back where it used to be? Or the homestead exemption? You can't have services without paying for them. While I agree that the EMS salaries are APPALLING, so are many of the other low and mid level employees in the county. The only salaries that get newspaper attention are the HUGE salaries of the dept heads and some of them are even underpaid compared to others with much less responsibilities. Take a look at them. It's bizarre how some make SO much money and others a fair or somewhat reasonable wage. Makes no sense to me. Bottom line- Essential services (police/ems/garbage/utilities/water dept.) must take priority- all others come afterward, as "would like to haves" if there is any money left. Oh, you might notice I didn't say FIRE Dept because the bulk of this community is covered by VOLUNTEERS (THANK YOU!!!! Ladies & Gentlemen) because we have yet to pay for a fire dept. When/how will that ever happen if we don't raise taxes or changes things so more people have to contribute? This isn't a tiny, rural community anymore. Reduce EMS? That would be a disaster. Pile more work on employees for less pay? What are they thinking? Put the money on the priorities and cut back on the nice, but not essential things. It stinks but unless taxes go up or more people pay, that's what we are left with.

Emergency Workers  (by: jessicaSEBRING  -   8/14/2010)

many emergency workers live in this county and drive 2-3 hours to work in other counties!!! you are absolutely right that you will loose some of your workers to other counties because the higher pay is worth the drive! sure, you will replace those jobs with people who don't need the higher pay or who are not qualified to work elsewhere....is that who YOU want working on your father when he has a heartattack or is in a car accident? is that who YOU want responding when your child has fallen and has life threatening injuries?

EMS cuts  (by: Bobbie4321  -   8/14/2010)

I agree!!! Most county commisioners are making HOW MUCH as a PART TIME JOB? They are the ones who need a paycut not our EMS employees! Give any one of the commisioners a pager to go off at 12a.m. then 2a.m. then 4a.m. after they've been running calls in the hot sun most of the day!! Are they looking at what these men and women make annually? Most of them are forced to work a 2nd job just to survive! They are up for 24hrs at a time servicing this community in the heat and in the rain and when most of us are sleeping. For their training and their service they deserve a raise not a cut!!! These men and women are fathers and mothers trying to raise chidren on minimal income and the commisioners want to DECREASE IT? If the budget is an issue the salaries at the top need to be looked at first!!! It is unbelieveable that they would even consider taking from others and not their own greedy pockets first!!!

Why pick such a vital service to cut?  (by: Rusty  -   8/13/2010)

Unfortunately EMS is a service few appreciate the true value of until they need their services. It should not be that way, and yes they are way underpaid as it is. You get what you pay for, and if there is a migration to greener pastures, who knows what quality of emergency care this county will end up with. It's a scary thought.

EMS CUTS  (by: james  -   8/13/2010)

Why don't you give the commissioners a fire pager, and let them get up at 2 a.m. and go pick up your grandma, and take care of them, untill they get to the hospital. OH, and do it for $9.00 an hour.

EMS Pay Cuts???  (by: Appalled  -   8/13/2010)

Wow, I am appalled. These people are there day and night to save your lives and you want to cut their pay? Their salaries are public record, take a look. Most of these people are very tenured employees who make an embarrassing figure already for what they do on a daily basis! They have already gone without raises for way to long and now you want to humiliate them even more. Give me a break, this is a job that most are very passionate about and love to do, and it definitely takes a special person because they could go many other places and make a much higher income! They work at minimum 48 hours a week, this 8 hours of “overtime” has been the excuse given as to why their hourly wage is so minimal. Most of them work at least one additional job just to make ends meet. Believe me, they earn every penny they make and we don’t pay them nearly enough!!!

Not the libraries!  (by: SebringBob  -   8/13/2010)

You can get rid of all the police and fire and EMS but don't touch the libraries. Where will all the high school dropouts go who can't read? Where else can you go to surf the web and look for a job? When will the Kommissars get it. They can easily spend all your tax dollars without even blinking. But, when they don't have enough of other people's money, they couldn't make a decision if it hit 'em in the head.
Cut out the waste of admin people first!!!!!

Are you kidding?  (by: DJSteward  -   8/13/2010)

That is the dumbest thing I have heard today. The health professionals of this area are some of the lowest paid in the country and you think they should have another pay cut? I am an RN and I could go almost anywhere else and get more pay than this area. I stay here because I love the community, and my family is here, but darn how much loyalty do you want?

County Employee Cuts  (by: P. Harris  -   8/12/2010)

After having received a call from my son yesterday about the paycuts you are trying to impelment, I don't blame any of them for thinking about going to other counties for employment. How many times will you cut into their livelihood? My son has 3 children, 2 in school and one in daycare. It takes all they can do now to stay afloat and yet you want to cut them yet again. How do you expect dedication when you as a body are not dedicated to your loyal employees.

EMS Cuts?  (by: Bobby  -   8/12/2010)

How about some commissioner cuts instead? You know, had impact fees been in place, this probably wouldn't have happened. Yes, I can some EMS people leaving with being giving a 4% pay cut.

Budget Cuts  (by: Melanne1989  -   8/11/2010)

Are you kidding me!! EMS, they are the one enity of county government that makes the least for the skills!! Seriously!! Let the county commissioners take a pay cut!!! Why dont we start with the largest salaries first not the least!!! I think if you dial 911 you want the best people to respond not the bargin basement!!!