WURTSBORO — Since its formation in 1961, the Town of Mamakating First Aid Squad, which operates out of Wurtsboro, has always been financed by donations and an annual contribution from the town. Due to cutbacks in funding for the state-mandated tax cap, the rest of the monies would have to come from private contributions.

After deadline for a permissive referendum to stop the creation of a taxpayer-supported ambulance district in Mamakating passed, a public hearing was held. At their most recent meeting, the board passed a resolution to create an Ambulance District.

The Ambulance District would add approximately an annual tax of 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. For example a house assessed at $100,000 would pay about $27 a year.

During a Bloomingburg Town Board meeting, Frank Sisco, president of Mamakating First Aid, explained that the first-aid squad are $97,000 in the “red” due to patients not having insurance to pay for services or insurance companies billing the patients and never having the money reimbursed to the squad.

Louise Traver, treasurer for the first-aid squad, stated during a Mamakating town board meeting in August that, “the squad has existed on a subsidiary given to them every year but it costs approximately $200,000 to run per year.”

At the same time, the squad was fortunate to receive a donation a few years ago. Even though the donation is running out, they won't be doing anymore fundraising.

During that same meeting in August, Sisco expressed the need for an ambulance for the squad.

Since both the Town of Mamakating and Village of Bloomingburg board approved the creation of the district, the paperwork will be filled with the local and state offices as the last steps.