Police and fire union representatives gathered at South Charleston’s No. 2 Fire Station today to sound the alarm urging voters to pass the safety levy, which appears on the May 11 primary ballot. 

The levy is a continuation of the existing levy and requires 60 percent approval to pass. Every vote counts. The levy raises $14.9 million annually for ambulance, bus, fire and police services. Failure of the levy will result in dramatic cutbacks in vital services to our community.

Fire and police officials also reminded voters to be sure to turn over their ballots to vote “FOR” the safety levy. The measure is located on the back.

If the levy fails, we will see a loss in automatic response for vehicle accidents, reduced service in rural areas, a decrease in bus service and transportation for the disabled and a longer response time for 911 calls.

The levy is not a tax increase. Kanawha County households now pay about 14 cents a day to support 22 fire departments that respond first to emergencies, ambulances that respond to 90 percent of calls within eight minutes and transport more than 200 patients every day and buses that pick up thousands of passengers each day.