Timberline not happy with new county ambulance fee
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marzNC - DCSki Supporter 
2 days ago (edited 2 days ago)
Member since 12/10/2008 🔗
3,428 posts

The Perfects are not happy with Tucker County.

Ski resort suing Tucker County over ambulance fee - August 14, 2025, WBOY

" . . .

Timberline Mountain is suing the Tucker County Commission over an ambulance fee on all recreational activities and entertainment in the county that it says is “fundamentally unfair.”

The Special Emergency Ambulance Service Fee, which went into effect at the start of 2025, is 2% on things like ski rentals, lodging, bicycle rentals and other indoor and outdoor activities. The ordinance from the commission says the fee is meant to help pay for the EMS services for people visiting from outside of the county and don’t pay taxes there; about 40% of EMS calls in the county are from non-resident visitors, Tucker County Commission President Mike Rosenau told 12 News when the ordinance passed.

. . ."

Scott - DCSki Editor
2 days ago
Member since 10/10/1999 🔗
1,291 posts
Interesting. Don’t most ambulance services (county or private) bill the patient (and/or their insurance company) for transport and services?  Is that not the case in Tucker County?  Or does that not provide enough revenue to fund the service 24/7, requiring subsidization via taxes?
JohnL - DCSki Supporter 
2 days ago
Member since 01/6/2000 🔗
3,581 posts

Scott wrote:

Interesting. Don’t most ambulance services (county or private) bill the patient (and/or their insurance company) for transport and services?  Is that not the case in Tucker County?  Or does that not provide enough revenue to fund the service 24/7, requiring subsidization via taxes?

 Based on a ST Post from a friend - who I think posts here - that may not always be the case. At least for Taos NM.

I see both sides of this argument. I do think some sort of tax or fee should be imposed, not necessarily the amount or the precise recipient. Search and rescue and EMS do impose costs, who should pay them is TBD. What about the legal costs to process claims against uninsured and/or those who can’t pay? And the upfront costs to provide capacity for non-residents. From what I understand, Tucker County doesn’t have a lot of resources, or much of a tax base to tax. A lot different than DC area.

JohnL - DCSki Supporter 
2 days ago
Member since 01/6/2000 🔗
3,581 posts
As an aside, I think the state-driven data centers/dedicated power plants is a much bigger issue for Tucker County. Not this one.

Ski and Tell

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