Sec. 5-1028. Tax for emergency ambulance service; referendum.

800 words·~4 min read·/il/chapter-55/act-5/5-1028·

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Sec. 5-1028. Tax for emergency ambulance service; referendum. In any county which is not a home rule county, a county board may levy and collect, annually, a tax of not to exceed .25% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of all the taxable property in the county not included within the territory of a fire protection district which levies a tax for ambulance service, for the payment of expenses not paid for from general funds which are incurred in providing emergency ambulance service under the provisions of Section 5-1053.

Such tax shall not be included within any statutory limitation of rate or amount for other county purposes, but shall be excluded therefrom and be in addition thereto and in excess thereof.

This tax shall not be levied in any county until the question of its adoption is submitted to the electors of the county not residing within the territory of a fire protection district which levies a tax for ambulance service and approved by a majority of those voting on the question. Upon the adoption of a resolution by the county board providing for the submission of the question of the adoption to the electors of the county the board shall certify the resolution and the proposition to the proper election officials who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law.

If a majority of the votes cast on the question is in favor of the levy of such tax, it may thereafter be levied in such county for each succeeding year.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the county board of a county that has more than 8,400 but less than 9,000 inhabitants, according to the 2010 federal decennial census, may also use funds collected under this Section to provide 9-1-1 service, but only if the question of using those funds for that purpose has been submitted to the electors of the county not residing within the territory of the fire protection district that levies the tax for ambulance service and if that question is approved by a majority of those electors voting on the question.

Upon the adoption of a resolution by the county board providing for the submission of that question to those electors, the board shall certify the resolution and the proposition to the proper election officials, who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the Election Code. The election authority must submit the question in substantially the following form:

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May moneys collected by the county

to provide emergency ambulance service YES

also be used for the purpose of - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

providing 9-1-1 service? NO

The election authority must record the votes as "Yes" or "No".

If a majority of the electors voting on the question vote in the affirmative, the county may thereafter use funds that it collects under this Section to provide 9-1-1 service or emergency ambulance service.