One of the most frightening calls you can ever make is a call for help to the 911 number.
Lives can depend on a 911 call.
So it is important that 911 be efficiently operated and properly funded.
But that does not mean that a proposal that would increase 911 wireless fees in Pennsylvania is a good idea.
Some Pennsylvania legislators have introduced a bill—House Bill 911 (HB911)—that would raise the fee on wireless by 65 percent—from a dollar to a dollar and sixty-five cents.
The Pennsylvania legislature took up the bill yesterday, and it doesn’t appear that they understand the strong opposition to the bill, or what would be a better course of action than simply slapping a new fee on consumers (always an option of first resort for legislatures).
Americans for Tax Reform, which opposes the hike, has written Pennsylvania House members a letter explaining that the tax increase would likely “not enhance a system that appears to be in need of an audit.”ATR further notes that constituents already have been hit by twenty federal tax hikes signed into law by President Obama.
Mywireless.org, a national, nonpartisan consumer advocacy group, has a helpful breakdown of what the hike would mean to citizens:
· A family of 4 in Philadelphia with a typical “family share plan” with 4 lines would pay almost $240 per year in taxes and fees just on their wireless plan. Other families throughout the Commonwealth would pay nearly $215 per year.
· A 911 fee at $1.65 would be the third highest statewide 911 fee in the country, just behind West Virginia and Alabama.
· The overall wireless tax burden in Pennsylvania would rise to over 21%, sticking Pennsylvania consumers with the 6th highest wireless tax burden in the country. – See more at: http://www.mywireless.org/2015/04/alert-pennsylvania-lawmakers-brink-approving-78-million-wireless-fee-increase/#sthash.xy7oD5xF.dpuf
Let’s hope Pennsylvania legislators will opt for figuring out how to reform the 911 system instead of just throwing money at the problem.