Largo Accelerates Budgeting of EMS VehicleBy Bill LopezLARGO - Faced with the prospect of an $11,500 price increase for next year's purchase of a new fire rescue EMS transport vehicle, the Largo commission authorized amending the 2008 city budget to accommodate the purchase with current year funds instead of 2009 funds. Assistant City Manager Amy Davis said the Fire Rescue Department conducted a price comparison in August 2008 and found that purchase of the transport vehicle prior to October 1, 2008 would avoid an 8% increase in the cost of the vehicle. In order to save 8% on the purchase, which amounts to approximately $11,500, staff proposed approval of a FY 2008 budget amendment to appropriate $143,600 for the purchase. These funds would come from the undesignated local option sales tax fund balance, which has a current projected balance of $11.5 million. Davis said that approval to fund the purchase this year means that the $158,300 included in the proposed FY 2009 Budget for this purchase will be deleted prior to the final adoption of the FY 2009 Budget. Contact Bill Lopez at blopezmmm@aol.com.
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