BY JANET BERNOSKY, Eastern Shore Post —
Accomack Supervisor Robert Crockett warned that unless steps are taken to address the EMS fund imbalance for the upcoming fiscal year, there could be layoffs involving almost a third of the county’s medical first responders.
His comments came at a public hearing held Monday, March 24, about a proposed five-cent real estate tax increase designed to add around $2 million to the EMS fund for FY2026.
“If we don’t plug this hole … it’s simple math. That’s 20 positions,” Crockett said.
There were two public hearings involving the nearly $90 million Accomack County FY 2026 budget.
In addition to the real estate tax increase, a 20-cents-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax, from 20 to 40 cents, has also been proposed.
The next set of public hearings on the budget and tax increases is scheduled for April 7 at 6 p.m. at Metompkin Elementary School. The supervisors cannot vote to finalize the budget before April 14.
Public Safety Director Charles Pruitt said the EMS deficit would mean the current 12 vacancies would go unfilled, with the remaining eight positions affecting staff at the Painter and Greenbackville stations.
Losing these positions would affect the plan to provide around-the-clock, everyday ambulance service to Greenbackville, Captains Cove, and other points in northern Accomack County.
County Administrator Mike Mason said even with the tax increase providing $2 million for 2026, the fund would still remain structurally imbalanced in 2027.
“You can get by on one year, but the issue that’s contributing has got to be solved, in my opinion,” Mason said.
The issue is that outgoing expenditures exceed incoming revenues in the EMS fund.
Doing nothing to address this issue now will quickly result in a deficit, Mason said.
Supervisor Jeff Parks has continued to push for solutions that don’t involve a tax increase but would include finding money elsewhere in the budget, such as the general fund.
“We can meet all the strategic objectives and we can still have a line item to meet the requirement for this year,” Parks said. “I think the board should consider that.”
“Our only real asset … against Maryland is our lower tax rate,” Parks continued. “We can save the people this year, spend the money that’s in the budget, (and) not do a tax increase.”
Supervisor Robert Crockett retorted, “In other words, let’s just kick the can down the road.
“We don’t know if we are going to increase taxes or cut staff,” he said. “We need to address it like it needs to be addressed.”
