Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Your Vermilion Parish Police Jury is faced with a decision whether to allow another ambulance service an opportunity to compete in Vermilion Parish. The Police Jury has the sole power to decide whether to allow the American free enterprise competitive system foothold in this parish or continue with the monopoly created by Acadian Ambulance.
The issue is not the quality of service rendered or response time by Acadian Ambulance, which is excellent. The issue is where competition is allowed the price of the service is driven downward, not withstanding any change in quality care.
When Acadian Ambulance came into this parish many years ago, they were shrewd enough to get the Police Jury to adopt standards that only Acadian could meet. Thus competition has been snuffed out for all these years, allowing egregious pricing to take place.
A monopoly allows price gouging and outrageous costs for ambulance services in this parish. Our family has seen this firsthand where a family member needed ambulance transportation to a doctor’s appointment. Acadian Ambulance was nearly double the cost of the competitor.
Can you imagine what prices the Vermilion Parish public would have to pay if they had to buy their groceries at only one supermarket that was given a monopoly in this parish.
Hopefully, Acadian Ambulance won’t do in Vermilion Parish what they are threatening to do in Acadia Parish. Acadian has taken the position that if Acadia Parish allows another ambulance service, they threaten to shut operations in Acadia, claiming their profit margins will diminish.
Instead of streamlining their services, Acadian is playing the bully by wanting to pick up their marbles and go home.
Competition is the bedrock of the American free enterprise system and this police jury needs to recognize that and revise their criteria to allow another ambulance service a chance in this parish. Keep the quality of service high, but don’t let a monopoly continue.
One of our great American presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, was known as as a great corporate monopoly buster. He strongly believed that the American people were entitled to enjoy competitive prices and businesses that did not operate in restraint of trade.
I strongly urge any Vermilion Parish citizen to let your voice be known by contacting police jurors as they face a tough decision making process.

Sincerely,
Stan Hardee
Kaplan, LA