 Much of what Fulscher described seemed to reflect a situation in
which no one anticipated the number of consumers who would
eventually switch from landline phones to wireless usage. When the
original surcharge on phones was approved by the legislature,
cellphones were not an issue. The problem isn't the number of
cellphones, but the need to acknowledge them as a major utility with
service providers capable of implementing fees to support the E911
systems.There were 994 calls to the local E911 in September.
"We have lost approximately $30,000 per year, at least for the
past three years," Fulscher stated. "Three years ago we received
$288,000, and now we are receiving $200,000 from those fees as
consumers drop their landlines and depend on their cellphones."
It takes the fees from 3.75 cellphones to equal one landline
phone's surcharge fee. In 1989 when the Illinois General Assembly
approved legislation allowing surcharge fees on landlines to support
E911 systems, the fee was 85 cents. In 2004, Logan County voters
were asked to pass a referendum to increase the local fee from 85
cents to $1.95. Voters passed the referendum.
Prior to that primary election, a contractual agreement was
approved by the Logan County Emergency Telephone System Board,
Lincoln City Council and the Logan County Board that gave the
Emergency Telephone System Board a supervisory position over the
communications room at the Logan County Safety Complex.
The agreement stated that the city of Lincoln and Logan County
would pay for a share of the services of ETSB's staff, facility
maintenance and equipment purchases by each contributing $14,195 per
month. The ETSB agreed to shoulder its third of the costs from the
increase received from the referendum-approved surcharge.
This all worked fine until the $1.95 fee on each phone bill began
to disappear, one at a time, as home phones were dropped.
Fulscher's proposal -- a document of support -- would request
that the state legislature address the discrepancy. In essence, the
document describes the situation and suggests increasing the
cellphone surcharge to equal the surcharge fee ($1.95) on landlines.
Fulscher told the board a recent survey predicted that in 15
years there would be no landline phones in use. If the General
Assembly changed the legislation to apply to all phone service,
regardless of service provider or method of use, fees could be an
ongoing revenue source for future upgrades and equipment
replacement.
"We have to let the senators and representatives know we're
standing strong," board member Rick Aylesworth said. "Do they even
know this situation exists?"
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"There are lobbyists for the telephone-cellphone companies in the
legislators' offices all day long," Fulscher responded, "and we
don't have that kind of money to match their presence. If we send
this document to our senators and representatives, they will know
what we're up against, if they didn't before."
Fulscher said the cellphone fee has actually fallen to 75 cents.
The government charges 3 percent for collecting the fee, and after
cellular phone companies take another amount for unknown charges,
the county receives only 57 cents. From the $1.95 landline fee,
Logan County receives $1.87.
The board discussed wording and minor changes to the document as
presented but basically agreed it was the best method of introducing
change to the situation. The corrected document will be presented to
the Logan County Board and the Lincoln City Council for approval.
"Assuming that it will pass," chairman Mike Patridge said to
Fulscher, "we should begin to make personal visits to legislators'
offices."
"It's clear-cut we have to get revenues up on wireless or we'll
go broke," Patridge said.
Next on the director's report, Fulscher noted a new rural and
ground frequency would be implemented Nov. 1-15. Pagers will go to
narrowband. There are 45 responding departments in Logan County,
including fire departments, rescue squads, law enforcement and
animal control. (Atlanta decided to use a separate frequency.)
The next E911/ETS board meeting is at 5 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Logan
County Safety Complex, 911 Pekin St. in Lincoln.
[By MARLA BLAIR]
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