Antioch ballot initiative to fund EMS

The *Daily Herald* has published an article discussing a referendum taking place in Antioch, focusing on the future of ambulance and emergency medical services (EMS) in the area. Fire officials have been vocal about the need for a new funding model since May, as the current system is no longer sustainable. According to Antioch Fire Chief John Nixon, the fire department and the First Fire Protection District are currently relying on cash reserves to cover the costs of ambulance and rescue services for the 27,000 residents in Antioch and Antioch Township. This approach is not viable long-term, and Nixon believes the solution is to establish a dedicated property tax rate for EMS, similar to what is already collected for fire services. “If we don’t find a way to fund EMS properly, we’ll either have to reduce our response or find alternative funding sources,” he said. The department handles around 2,000 rescue calls annually across three stations, making reliable funding essential. Voters in the Antioch area will decide the issue through two separate referendums on the November 4 ballot—one for village residents and another for those in Antioch Township. The proposals ask voters to approve a new property tax rate of 25 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value. For a home valued at $100,000, this would amount to roughly $83 in the first year. If passed, the tax could generate approximately $1.5 million in its first year, with most of the funds going toward staffing and equipment maintenance. A portion would also be allocated for a capital replacement program. The need for the referendum became clear in May when the Antioch Rescue Squad, which had served the township for 75 years, was not offered a contract to continue. The volunteer group operated without a dedicated tax and relied largely on donations. In response, fire district officials integrated all ambulance and rescue services under the Antioch Fire Department’s unified command. However, this shift has drained two-thirds of the fire district’s cash reserves, with monthly operating costs reaching about $35,000. Fire Chief Nixon noted that if the referendums pass, only minor changes might be seen in the short term. But if either vote fails, more drastic adjustments would be necessary. Dennis Crosby, an Antioch Trustee, warned that rejecting the village measure could force cuts to other essential services to cover EMS costs, using funds from the general budget. Similarly, if the township vote fails, officials say ambulance and rescue services may face significant reductions. Antioch Township Supervisor Steve Smouse emphasized that without funding, the service simply can't operate. “You can’t run an ambulance service without money,” he said. “If it doesn’t pass, they’ll have to find a way to do it with less.” Nixon added that township residents might see fewer paramedics available, leading to longer wait times and potentially requiring the use of more expensive private ambulance services. “We’d still send paramedics, but transport might require a private company, and that cost would fall on the user,” he said.

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