Springfield adopts ‘crash tax’ ordinance

The Springfield Select Board this week gave its final approval to an ordinance that will allow the town to recover some of the costs of providing police and fire services.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20110527/NEWS02/705279908

Published May 27, 2011 in the Rutland Herald

Springfield adopts ‘crash tax’ ordinance

By SUSAN SMALLHEER

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Select Board this week gave its final approval to an ordinance that will allow the town to recover some of the costs of providing police and fire services.

The ordinance, which some people call the “crash tax,” goes into effect in about a month. It will allow the town to bill car crash victims or fire victims for some of the costs the town incurs, according to Fire Chief Russell Thompson.

Previously, the town would try to recover some of the costs associated with fighting a fire, or rescuing someone from a car crash, but insurance companies refused to pay without a local ordinance on the books.

Thompson and Town Manager Robert Forguites said the goal was not to make money or raise revenue, but to recover some of the costs of “nondurable” materials and equipment.

For instance, Thompson said, the town used more than nine gallons of firefighting foam in putting out a fire Sunday night at 147 Park St. The town will now be able to recover the $20 per gallon costs of the foam, he said. The town was out $230 for foam, the chief said.

Some fires have cost the town $1,000 in foam alone, he said.

The so-called Jaws of Life emergency extrication tool is expensive and wears out, Thompson said. Under the ordinance, if rescuers have to use the tool, there will be a bill, in addition to the regular ambulance bill.

The so-called crash tax has been enacted in several Vermont communities, according to Thompson.

Many insurance policies provide coverage of these costs, Thompson said.

Both Forguites and Thompson said people should not think about bills during an emergency, and they should call 911 for help regardless of the ordinance.

One area in which the town will try to recover costs is nuisance calls or illegal fires, Thompson said.

Malicious events and nuisance incidents, such as recurring false alarms where the person hasn’t corrected an obvious problem, will also be billed, Thompson said.

Likewise, if people are obviously negligent, such as driving 90 mph during a snowstorm, there will also be a fee.

Thompson said hazardous materials response is very expensive. He said the town had “for ages” been billing the costs of responding to a hazardous materials incident.

Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston said the Police Department charges for items such as accident and police reports.

Johnston said the town will charge out-of-town residents when they come to the police station for a VIN verification. He said the town started charging because there were so many requests, taking up officers’ time because there is a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Springfield.

“We need an ordinance to back us up,” Johnston said. The police also charge for bank escorts and fingerprinting.

“It’s only fair,” he said.