Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman George Seneck addresses concerns over a newly-implemented vehicle registration tax during a public hearing held Monday. Officials say the tax will help fund the county's EMS service. (Photo by Shawn Magrath)

NORWICH - County legislators have green-lighted an additional motor vehicle registration fee which they say will help pay costs of a new county-run EMS service, discounting a split of opinions from both county residents and officials.

Nearly a dozen county residents spoke in a back-and-forth debate in front of the Chenango County Board of Supervisors during a public hearing Monday, many saying the fee opens the door for critical EMS services while others argue that it’s an unfair financial burden, particularly to municipalities already paying for their own EMS.

The proposal includes a $5 annual motor vehicle use fee for county residents with vehicles that are 3,500 pounds or less, and a $10 annual fee for heavier vehicles. Because most vehicle registrations are renewed bi-annually, motorists can expect to pay $10 or $20 more to cover these additional fees when they renew their two-year registration at the DMV. Vehicles with farm or agriculture plates will be exempt.

The county believes the additional fee will generate roughly $297,000 in revenue each year, with New York State collecting 31 cents per transaction. Money collected by the county would then be used to fund an EMS start-up to serve Chenango County townships that don't have an ambulance service, and to support financially-strapped towns that do.