Your view: Change sought

I do not know how many people in New Madrid County are aware of the fact that since 1978 the New Madrid County Ambulance District has been funded by a property tax on assessed evaluation within New Madrid County. In 2005, that amount reached 15 cents on $100 of assessed evaluation.

The Ambulance Board would now like to change that method of funding over to a sales tax of one-fourth cent and try to make it a fairer tax on everyone in the county. This one-fourth cent would meant that for every four dollars that are spent in the county, one cent would go toward funding the ambulance service.

If this change would be made, the property tax after the year 2007 would be eliminated. The district will have the funding change request on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Ralph Barnwell Jr.

Ambulance Coordinator