SYRACUSE -- 9-1-1 operators are accusing the New York State Assembly of raiding a fund aimed at improving emergency communications systems.
Each month, cell phone subscribers pay a $1.20 surcharge on your wireless phone bill. The 9-1-1 Coordinators Association says last year the state collected about $230 million from the surcharge. Though the cell phone surcharge is considered a dedicated fund to go to public safety, the Assembly wants to divert most of it into the general fund.
Governor David Paterson's 2010 state budget proposed giving 9-1-1 centers $50 million from the surcharge, and the State Senate went along with it. The State Assembly cut that fund down to $17.3 million.
Oswego County 9-1-1 Coordinator Michael Allen told CNY Central, "We just feel that this is wrong, and that the Assembly should embrace the Governor's proposal and maintain that $50 million allotment."
Allen and other area 9-1-1 center officials say the money from the cell phone surcharges would go to pay for much needed upgrades to emergency communications systems. They say Central New York 9-1-1 centers are shelling out $100 million for such improvements. The 9-1-1 Coordinators Association and the Association of Counties are lobbying Assembly members to go along with the Governor's $50-million dollar allocation for emergency call centers.
State Assemblyman Will Barclay agrees with their cause. "The taxes we place on wireless devises were never intended to pay for operating expenses of the state." Barclay said.
Assemblyman Al Stirpe says the Assembly merely allocated money that 9-1-1 centers had applied for. "They needed to have submitted plans to say what they were going to buy and no money is released until those plans are turned in."
Assemblywoman Joan Christensen says "Our priority is education and health care... 911 is one place where money is being diverted." She added this is "just a proposal" and the state "needs to cut more from the budget."
Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli was unavailable to comment. A spokesperson said he was in meetings Tuesday working on the budget.
