A letter to the editor from Angela Alexander, MD
Moab is known worldwide for its breathtaking landscapes and adventure. But behind the beauty, the safety of our residents and millions of visitors depends on something far less visible: our Emergency Medical Services (EMS). As the Co-Medical Director for Grand County EMS and a 14-year Emergency Physician in the Moab Emergency Department, I see every day how essential a strong EMS system is.
Proposition 13 proposes a 0.5% sales tax on hotel stays, restaurant dining, tours, and in-town clothing purchases—just five cents on every ten dollars spent. Groceries, gas, utilities, prescriptions, and medical equipment are exempt. Visitors are expected to cover 60–70% of the tax. Revenue will support Grand County EMS, Moab Valley Fire District, and Canyonlands Care Center.
Our EMS is under strain from rising call volume—up nearly 70% in the past decade—and declining reimbursement. EMS rates are set by the state, and we collect only 29 cents on the dollar billed, the state average.
Financial pressures have already forced painful cuts: leaving positions unfilled, suspending equipment upgrades, reducing staff mental-health support, and eliminating continuing education. These stopgaps are unsustainable and dangerous.
Grand County EMS operates with just 13 full-time and 21 part-time staff. That small team is responsible for emergency response and transports for thousands of residents and millions of visitors. They also transfer patients from Moab Regional Hospital to higher-level facilities when specialized care is needed. The majority of calls year after year are for Grand County residents.
We are fortunate that our EMS provides ground transfers even when weather grounds aircraft. In other rural communities I’ve worked, only air transfers are available—leaving patients waiting days when no aircraft can fly. Such delays compromise care and put lives at risk.
We cannot expect world-class emergency response on a shoestring budget. Moab and Grand County deserve better. By voting YES on Proposition 13, you are investing in safety and ensuring that when tragedy strikes, help arrives without delay. Please join me in supporting this essential investment in our future.
Angela Alexander, MD
Moab
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