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<br />November 8. 2005 <br /> <br />WHEREAS, in 1983, the General Assembly adopted legislation that provided for <br />a $1.00 fee, known as "One for Life," on automobile registrations to be earmarked for <br />emergency medical services in the State; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, in 1990, the fee was doubled to $2.00 and became known as "Two <br />for Life," and the funds were still earmarked for emergency medical services in Virginia; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, in 2002, the General Assembly doubled the vehicle registration fee <br />once more to $4.00; and the funds, which became known as "Four for Life" funds, were <br />to be distributed by the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services to the Regional <br />EMS Councils, the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, and to local <br />governments for equipment, supplies, and training, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, while, $3.45 million has been transferred to the General Fund since <br />2002, these funds have been redirected for homeland security issues, such as the <br />Commonwealth Preparedness initiative, despite a plentiful supply of federal funds for <br />the same purpose; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, emergency medical services entities are responsible for 7.3 million <br />citizens in Virginia, not including those who are visiting our State, and those services <br />are being curtailed by the diversion of such funds for other purposes; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Virginia Fire Chiefs' Association, in concert with other fire <br />service and emergency management services organizations, has asked Virginia local <br />governments to adopt a resolution requesting restoration of funding for the "Four for <br />Life" program to support emergency medical services as originally intended. <br /> <br />NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth <br />Virginia that it supports the restoration of "Four for Life" funds to support emergency <br />medical services as originally intended. <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER_RESOLVED that the City Council requests that the members of <br />the Portsmouth General Assembly delegation also support the restoration of the <br />emergency medical services funds during the upcoming 2006 session of the Virginia <br />General Assembly. <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk be directed to forward a copy <br />of this resolution to each member of the Portsmouth General Assembly." <br /> <br />Ayes: Heretick, Moody, Psi mas, Randall, Smith, Whitehurst, Holley <br />Nays: None <br /> <br />05 - 502 - Adoption of a resolution approving the 2005 edition of the Emergency <br />Operations Plan for the City of Portsmouth. Vision Principle: Neighborhood and <br />Community Transformation. <br />