Florida Gov. Charlie Crist signed legislation ban local governments from charging fees when emergency responders respond to accidents, making Florida the eighth state to enact such a measure. Insurers welcomed the move, arguing that the crash fees were a form of double taxation, but municipalities that assess fees criticized it in this tight economy.

The legislation prohibits public-safety agencies from charging the driver or owner of a vehicle, the insurance provider, or other entity for the response or investigation at a motor-vehicle accident. Fees average $200 for police to $700 for firefighters/EMS.

But first-response agencies opposed the ban, as decreased sales and property taxes, falling home sales, and Homestead tax exemptions have pinched their budgets.

"The cost of labor and equipment is up, and I have a state legislature that's going to stop us from raising taxes. It's like we're being forced to reduce services," Sunrise (Fla.) City Manager Bruce Moeller said. "Nobody wants to show any leadership and help people understand. People with property pay taxes for the ‘potential' services."

Moeller said there are several factors why the proposed "pay-per-crash" program failed in Florida, including an anti-tax philosophy in the in the community.

"When the public votes for tax reform, it's not just because of the economy; they want to pay less taxes and to make sure the government is working efficiently," he said. "In Florida, every time we have tried to put forward an increase, they are devoted to trying to stop it."

Moeller noted that departments didn't charge fees at all accident scenes "For EMS, we only bill when [patients] use the service — transport and bill," he said. "Twenty percent of the calls we respond to for EMS, we don't transport."

"You use the service, you pay a fee," he added. "If people are upset at the lack of services, don't re-elect those officials."

Arkansas, Indiana, Georgia, Oklahoma, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Tennessee also have enacted legislation to prohibit pay-per-crash fees.