And if you're going to get in a car accident, you may want to learn some first aid so you can suture yourself rather than get an ambulance bill. According to the Huntington Beach Independent, the city is re-considering an ordinance that charges out-of-towners the bill for emergency services if they cause a car accident. The ordinance was approved last month, but is being looked at again following complaints by local businesses. "The ordinance sticks nonresidents with the bill for emergency services for car accidents, fires or vehicle extractions and is estimated to generate $100,000 in revenue, according to the staff report....The fees don't apply to residents, but to the more than 16 million people who descend on Huntington Beach annually, according to the report. Residents are exempt because they pay property taxes." This is all part of a growing trend of cash-strapped cities charging accident victims for emergency services, the New York Times recently reported.
· Councilman wants to reconsider ordinance [Huntington Beach Independent]
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