City Approves Unique 911 Use Fee

on February 4, 2008

The Ventura (S. Calif.) city council has approved a 911 fee–no, not a 911 surcharge, but an actual “use 911, pay a fee” fee. Residents with telephone service can opt out of the $1.49 monthly “Emergency Communications System Service Fee” by signing an agreement to pay $50 per 911 call when they do dial the emergency number. That provision was added to accommodate fax and Internet lines, but anyone can claim the per-call status. And officials say those on the per-call status will be granted an exemption from the $50 fee if they’re reporting a crime, or calling on behalf of someone else. There is also a fee appeal process, which city officials described as “liberal.” The council says the fee should raise up to $2.5 million, to help pay the $3.3 million they now pay for dispatching services, freeing up money to hire six additional police officers and three firefighters. The fee begins May 1st and applies to all 158,000 wired and wireless phone service within the city. It’s reported to the be the first such fee in California, and perhaps the entire country. One council member said the per-call fee option might discourage people from dialing 911 for true emergencies. Download a city report on the fee and the actual law here. Also read a news story here and scroll down for some reader comments. [more]

Several other cities in California have imposed local 911 fees. But in this case, Ventura is using the money to fund something unrelated to public safety communications–personnel staffing at the police and fire departments.

The fee raises the issue of whether telephone subscribership is a reliable indicator of police and fire services. Wouldn’t property ownership be a more logical way to charge for these services? Or more specifically, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to bill 911 callers or those who actually receive an emergency response?

The real question is whether the Ventura city council used the 911 fee a way to generate revenue without having to go to the voters for approval of a tax?

Update: Within weeks, the council reduced the per-call fee to $17.88, annualized cost of the monthly fee. They also exempted first-time 911 calls, and will allow second-time callers to join the monthly fee program with a $17.88 charge.