Advertisement

This week the legislature is expected to adopt one of two plans to fund 911 services equally between landline, cell, voice over Internet and prepaid telephone services. With the current formula the growth in cell phone usage has hurt 911 funding.

The new law will also return control over 911 funding back to the counties.

Currently people with landlines pay substantially more for 911 service than cell phone owners, and those who use prepaid phone cards and voice over Internet pay nothing for 911 service. Each county now its own rates based on the cost of providing the service and the percentage cap set by the state. Then they have to make up the difference out of county coffers.

In Sanilac County landline users now pay 80 cents per month and cell phone users 29 cents. The county's general fund is tapped for $221,000.

The sheriff and 911 coordinator proposed the commissioners set the new surcharge at $1.29 per month for all telephone users, which they think will cover the $221,000 together with the state wireless charge.

At the same time, the state is expected to lower the wireless surcharge from 29 cents to about 19 cents. The state will use the wireless money to fund equipment and training to help bring counties up to date.

Sheriff Virgil Strickler said the $1.29 is based on a combination of the 911 budget for the past three years and the state's estimate of 0.93 phones per person in Sanilac County. The cell phone dollars will follow the address on the bill. Prepaid phone money will be divided up among the counties, but that is a formula that has yet to be decided.

He reminded the commissioners that while they can't levy a millage without the vote of the people, they can adjust the surcharge to cover costs.

911 Coordinator Dawn Cubitt explained the commissioners need to pass a resolution adopting a plan next week so that the county can begin to draw the funding in January. Otherwise they can't set it until the annual 911 funding reviews in April, which means they wouldn't get the new money until July.

The board referred the issue to the Sept. 4 finance committee meeting and expects to hold a special board meeting at noon that day to pass the resolution, pending passage of the legislation.