Section 219-G. Funding

1. The cost of a service award program shall be a
  charge against the sponsor.  The governing board of  the  sponsor  shall
  appropriate  annually  an  amount  equal to the estimated amount due the
  service award program during the fiscal year for which the appropriation
  is made.  On or before May first, or such date as may be  prescribed  by
  rules   and  regulations  promulgated  by  the  state  comptroller,  the
  governing board, without prior submission of a claim, shall  direct  the
  chief  fiscal officer of the sponsor to pay to the program administrator
  the amount due the program.
    2. (a) Before or after a service award  program  is  adopted  for  the
  volunteer  ambulance  workers of an ambulance company which contracts to
  provide service to one or more political  subdivisions  other  than  the
  prospective  or  actual  sponsor of the program, the governing boards of
  the sponsor and one or more of such  other  political  subdivisions  may
  enter  into  agreements  to  apportion  the  cost  of the program in any
  equitable  manner  between  the  sponsor  and   such   other   political
  subdivisions.
    (b) No such agreement shall be entered into by a political subdivision
  other  than the sponsor unless a resolution authorizing the agreement is
  approved by the affirmative vote  of  at  least  sixty  percent  of  the
  governing   board   of  the  political  subdivision  and  a  proposition
  authorizing the agreement or amendment is approved at  a  referendum  of
  the electors of the political subdivision.
    (c)  The  proposition  authorizing the agreement or amendment shall be
  submitted to referendum not less than thirty  days  and  not  more  than
  ninety  days  after the governing board votes to authorize the agreement
  or amendment.   Notice of the referendum shall  be  published  at  least
  once,  not  less than fourteen days prior to the date of the referendum,
  in the official newspaper  of  the  political  subdivision  or,  if  the
  political  subdivision  does  not  have an official newspaper, in one or
  more newspapers having general circulation in the political subdivision.
    (d) Any such  agreement  shall  remain  in  effect  until  amended  or
  terminated  by  resolution and submission of a proposition to referendum
  as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this subdivision, but shall  be
  suspended with respect to any such political subdivision which ceases to
  contract  with  the ambulance company or in the event the sponsor ceases
  to contract with the ambulance company.
    (e) The amount to be paid by a political subdivision  under  any  such
  contract  shall  be a charge against the political subdivision and shall
  be paid to the sponsor.  The governing board of the sponsor shall  apply
  the  amount  received  under any such contract to reduce the amount that
  would otherwise be raised for the program from the sponsor.