(Pocahontas)– Voters in O’Brien and Pocahontas counties Tuesday approved a new tax that will generate revenue for emergency medical service providers.
In Osceola county, the measure was approved by 65 percent of those who voted Tuesday; it received 73 percent approval in Pocahontas county. It needed at least a 60 percent approval under Iowa law for passage. That same law allows Iowa counties to put referendums on the ballot to fund emergency medical services.
The Iowa E-M-S Association says the vast majority of ambulance services in the state rely on volunteers to staff their operations, and many do their own fundraising.
Voters in Calhoun county rejected a similar referendum Tuesday.
