Indiana 911 funding plans equalizing phone fees Created by jzimney on 2/4/2012 9:55:22 AM Pin It
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana legislators are considering plans that would equalize the fees tacked onto landline and cellphone bills for 911 emergency services because a shift away from landline phones has cost counties millions of dollars needed to run their emergency dispatch centers.
Separate plans approved by the Senate and House would increase the monthly fees charged to cellphones and generally reduce the now-higher fees on landlines in what lawmakers say is an attempt to stabilize funding for 911 services.
One plan puts the monthly fees for most phones at $1 and the other at 75 cents.
Senate tax committee chairman Brandt Hershman of Lafayette says a stable funding source is needed for 911 centers.
The Indiana Association of Counties estimates 911 fee revenue has dropped about $20 million in five years.
