911 Pay Per Call

[hjmick]

I have never heard of a city charging it's residents for proper use of the 911 system, but apparently, at least in Northern California, it is not uncommon. Now it turns out that a municipality near me has decided to institute a similar fee on it's residents. Ventura California will be the first city in Southern California to impose fees for it's 911 service. To be fair, citizens to get to choose their program: pay $1.49 a month for unlimited calls or $17.88 per call (they wanted to charge $50.00 per call). Am I the only one who has a problem with this system? I understand issuing a fine for the improper use of the 911 system, but to be sent a bill for the rare occasion you might actually have a dire need for services just rubs me the wrong way and I don't even live in Ventura.

If you sign up for the per call plan, do they take your credit card number over the phone prior to dispatching help? WTF?

City finalizes contentious 911 fee (http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/feb/26/city-finalizes-contentious-911-fee-in-a-6-1-vote/)

[hjmick]

Additionally, in 2006 the city of Ventura attempted to pass a a new tax that would have paid for the additional safety personnel mentioned in the linked story. The residents voted it down. Now, two years later, they have introduced this new fee that requires only the approval of the city council.

[glockmail]

Here in NC they put a surcharge on the phone bills. I recall that its in that $1.50 range.

I'd love to have the choice to pay on a per call basis. Imagine the scenario: Someone breaks into my home. I make a quick calculation, $18 phone call, or $0.75 bullet? :coffee:

[Mr. P]

Here in NC they put a surcharge on the phone bills. I recall that its in that $1.50 range.

I'd love to have the choice to pay on a per call basis. Imagine the scenario: Someone breaks into my home. I make a quick calculation, $18 phone call, or $0.75 bullet? :coffee:

$1.50/mo billed by the phone co here too.

[Kathianne]

As noted, we all pay for 911 in taxes. Now if someone abuses the system, a surcharge might be alright. However, to have to consider cost in an emergency? No way!

[hjmick]

As noted, we all pay for 911 in taxes. Now if someone abuses the system, a surcharge might be alright. However, to have to consider cost in an emergency? No way!

We have the 911 surcharge here in California as well, this fee is on top of that.

[Kathianne]

We have the 911 surcharge here in California as well, this fee is on top of that.

Seems wrong to me. It's forced that one pay taxes for the service, then one should be able to use within parameters, without penalty.

[manu1959]

in a town not far from me they are in danger of going bk....they screen your calls and non-emergency calls go to voice mail......

people use 911 to ask really stupid shit .....

[Yurt]

in a town not far from me they are in danger of going bk....they screen your calls and non-emergency calls go to voice mail......

people use 911 to ask really stupid shit .....

so because people ask stupid shit we should have to pay a surcharge?? what are you saying?

[manu1959]

so because people ask stupid shit we should have to pay a surcharge?? what are you saying?

yep that is who it works.....stupid people blow it and instead of charging them we all get to pay for their stupidity....like at my kids school...one kid took a jumprope and tied a kid to a pole....so they confiscated all the jump ropes.....one persons screws up everyone pays.....

[Yurt]

yep that is who it works.....stupid people blow it and instead of charging them we all get to pay for their stupidity....like at my kids school...one kid took a jumprope and tied a kid to a pole....so they confiscated all the jump ropes.....one persons screws up everyone pays.....

what does the bk part have to do with this? are the stupid people causing the system to go bankrupt? are that many extra people required to answer those calls?

[Kathianne]

in a town not far from me they are in danger of going bk....they screen your calls and non-emergency calls go to voice mail......

people use 911 to ask really stupid shit .....

Well where I live, we don't get charged for calling 911 or local non-emergency. If I do something stupid, like letting my dead car roll into street, so I can get the other working car out of garage. Hoping that I can roll the dead onto parking, but whoops, stuck in middle of street, call non-emergency, they say call 911, I wonder why. The reason, they need to dispatch officers.

I went the least intrusive, figuring 'emergency' means life or death. Found out, not according to our police dept. At the same time, I can't imagine our 911 would put a call on hold, as when I called, they answered with my address, asking what was the problem.