County Administrator David Baker said the grants-in-aid bill, which funds paramedics, is being stretched to the limit this year because of declining state revenues.

“There’s going to be much more competition for funds this year,” he said.

Hal Godwin, deputy county administrator, said 70 nonprofit organizations funded by grants in the state’s operating budget would be transferred to the grants-in-aid budget.

Baker said he wants legislators to be aware there is no room to cut even some paramedic funding.

Gov. Jack Markell has proposed $41 million in the fiscal 2011 grants-in-aid bill, which compares to $35 million in fiscal 2010 and $45 million in fiscal 2009.

Joe Fulgham, House communications officer, said as the budget goes through the legislative process and the Joint Finance Committee, the final allotment would probably end up in the middle of the last two years’ previous allotments.

The state’s portion of funding has decreased steadily from 60 percent to 30 percent over the past 20 years. The county, which covered 40 percent of the cost when the statewide paramedic program began, now covers 70 percent of the costs. A 10 percent cut in fiscal year 2010 cost the county $1.2 million, Baker said.

Baker said the loss of some or all of the state’s $3.7 million share would mean cutbacks in staff and services in one of the county’s most expensive departments. The county has budgeted almost $12 million for the program in fiscal 2010, which represents an 8 percent cut from $13.6 million in fiscal 2009.

At the same time, Baker said, calls for service have increased from about 14,000 per year in 2004 to an expected 18,500 in 2010.

A complete loss of state funding might require the county to close two of its eight units, which could slow down response time in some areas, Baker said.

He said 86 percent of costs in the emergency medical services department are related to staff.

Sussex County Council President Vance Phillips, R-Laurel, said the county uses real estate transfer taxes to fund the paramedic program as well as other public safety programs like fire departments and additional state troopers, but the revenue has declined sharply over the past four years.

“We are operating in a deficit; the tax is not covering it,” he said. He placed the deficit at $2.1 million in fiscal 2010.

As vice president of the Delaware Association of Counties, he has written a letter to Kent and New Castle officials urging them to support a move for state legislators to either change paramedic funding to an even 50/50 cost-sharing process or change the real estate transfer tax formula from 50/50 to allow the county to collect 70 percent of the tax.

With help from the Sussex County Association of Towns, the county plans an all-out blitz to communicate with legislators, contact the governor’s office and urge local fire companies throughout the county to do the same, stressing the critical need for timely emergency medical response, Baker said.