Dexter Daily Statesman

It's time to pay up

Posted Friday, July 20, 2007, at 12:20 PM
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I have covered the Stoddard County 911 Serivces organization since taking this job in December 2004. Since that time, whether or not people would pay a tax on their cell phone lines for thaving the priveledge of calling 911 has been a major issue for the group.

And it is just that. A priveledge. Stoddard County has one of the best 911 answering systems in the state. But did you know that they have to buy and maintain special equipment just to be able to answer cell phone calls? Many don't stop to think about that. The equipment used to answer cell phone calls cannot be used for answering land line calls.

And, Missouri is the only state left in the NATION that does not impose a 911 fee to cell phone users. The governor has blindly ignored this issue (probably because of the great amounts of money contributed by cell phone companies to his campaign and such, but that's just a personal opinion).

Recently he has decided to form a "committee" to look at the problem. Roughly translated into everday language that means the governor wants to look like he is actually adressing the problem while he is sweeping it under the rug.

Would less than $1 per month per phone be so much to pay? Is it not worth that to ensure that there will be someone local to answer YOUR emergency call? And, if a cell phone tax were enacted, 911 board members have already said that then land line taxes (for those of you who still have both) could be dropped some. Is it not worth that to ensure your peace of mind???

I think it's time that citizens stood up and made some noise about this issue. Call your local legislators and insist they do something before Stoddard County 911 Services runs into financial trouble. Many 911 services around the state are consolidating or even closing down together in some instances.

My thought: quit being cheap. A fee of only mere dollars per month is something well worth paying in order to have emergency services so readily available. What do you think?

Comments
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I'm not sure Johnson grass is gone. I think I see it in my part of the country! ...Tall, stringy, obnoxious..?

-- Posted by goat lady on Tue, Jul 24, 2007, at 9:02 PM

You are absolutely right Ducky. Watch and see if there isn't some type of tax initiative on the next election ballot. I agree and accept that some of these things are necessary, however at sometime someone has to have the nerve to prioritize. Sometimes you might just have to tell someone that their program is lower on the priority and they are not getting as much money as they did the year before. Why are programs never terminated? Just what all are we paying taxes for in Stoddard County today? City, County, State and Federal. It is getting to be too much.

If you want to add tax then tax something that everyone uses; rich, middle class, and poor equally. Let's start with a tax on TP. That should get the great majority of people.

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, at 11:05 PM

I don't know about a Men of Stoddard County EMS calendar, yellow rose. Have you seen some of those guys? I'd pay them to put it back on. Not that they aren't wonderful people and excellent at their jobs. I just don't want that particular image in my mind. Reminds me of the movie "Calendar Girls" when one of them says "I think we need to get some bigger buns." Now the gallstones idea has some merit.

Seriously, I agree with I.B. about it not being a privilege if we pay taxes for it. I feel taxed to within an inch of my life as it is now. jSeems like there's always another well meaning agency that wants another ounce of our flesh.

-- Posted by Ducky on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, at 8:36 PM

I agree that the Stoddard County EMS are a very fine bunch of people, however I am not agreeable to adding one more cent of taxes to my life for any reason other than maybe schools.

As far as I am concerned if I am paying taxes for it, it is not a privelage. I am buying it. You say 15% of the bill for my land line phone. Just how much should that be that the 911 service already receives from Stoddard County residents?

Do they ever charge for the service they provide?

What tax pays for law enforcement?

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, at 5:11 PM

I've got a better solution.Our fabulous road district has eliminated the scourge of Johnson grass, yet we are still taxed for "spraying".

Why don't we shuffle some of the expired services we are still paying for to the General Payola fund?

The problem is when you fund a tax,even if the technology changes,and the service is obsolete, you will still pay the tax!

We are blessed in Stoddard County to have the finest EMS service around, and much of that is due to the financial management of district funds.

I'd like to see an EMS cookbook, interspersed with antecdotes of survivors (or antidotes in general)and/ or t-shirts with the weirdest things EMS has seen people put in various orifices.

How about during the County Fair at the EMS booth they sell calendars with "The Men of Stoddard County" or a jar with "Guess How Many Gallstones"?

Be proactive-help your own cause and we will want to help too!

-- Posted by Yellow Rose of Essex on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, at 4:50 PM

I must add,we do have a much better ambulance district than the rest of SEMO-guess that could be construed as a privilege!

-- Posted by Yellow Rose of Essex on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, at 1:40 PM

Privilege/Free Police and Fire Protection

Privilege/Taking care of Grandma for cents on the dollar

Privilege/free education for all children in America

Wow, I already pay a lot for all my privileges. How many more can I afford?

-- Posted by Yellow Rose of Essex on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, at 1:38 PM

Sacha Champion's response:

I realize that we already pay more taxes than we should. That I don't disagree with. And yet, all of those things listed above we take advantage of. Another old saying, "There is no such thing as a free lunch" comes to mind.

However, what I am saying is that this is one small tax that would be very beneficial to pay. Why wait until tragedy strikes and the 911 dispatch center shuts down? What will happen then? These are things that should be seriously considered and not just skimmed over because the word "tax" is involved. We are talking about an amount of money you would probably never miss anyway. Case in point, did you know you were paying a tax on your land line phone for 911 services? Chances are, probably not. This would be the same type of situation.

I agree with I.B. its another tax, that eventually will become five or ten dollars. I'm sure there are other means to find the appropriations for this elsewhere in our over budgeted government.

-- Posted by mobrigade on Mon, Jul 23, 2007, at 11:01 AM

Sacha Champion's response:

Actually, since at least 1995, the tax on the land line phone has remained the same (15 percent of base bill). I can find no record of this tax having ever increased. Also, let it be known that the only money -- with the exception of one grant -- that is or has ever been received by Stoddard County 911 Services comes solely from the land line tax. There are no other funds dispursed or made available to 911 services.

When it comes down to either paying a minute cell phone tax or losing your 911 service all together, what would you do? An old saying comes to mind, would you cut off your nose to spite your face?

Keep blogging. All of your opinions are great and appreciated!!

I am not sure anymore what exactly is a right and what is a privelage. I do know that I pay enough taxes. If an agency is not getting their fair share they should talk to the leadership who make the decisions, not ask me for more.

We don't just pay income tax, almost everything you want to do or buy is taxed. If you take notice you will find that the government is getting a whole lot of your money.

Look at what they get everytime you pull up to the gas pump. How many vehicles do you think will pull up to the pumps today? Think about that the next time you hit a pot hole. Wonder where the money goes?

I say no more for anything.

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, at 9:51 AM

ooooooh. Good question, I.B. Is law enforcement a privelege or a right? We do pay for law enforcement from our taxes. I know that all the government agencies vie with each other for their share of the tax pie. I assumed that 911 was the same. Does a piece of our land line phone bill go to local government to pay for 911? If so, then it's probably fair to tax our cell phones equitably. If not, then don't tax our cell phones.

-- Posted by Ducky on Sun, Jul 22, 2007, at 8:21 AM

When they put the phone answering machine in, way back before we had cell phones, did people with land lines have to pay a tax on their phone to support 911. As for taxes, I play plenty and so does everyone else. Decisions have to be made about where tax dollars are spent. Maybe this should be addressed to the people who are establishing the budget for 911. Who makes the decisions about where tax dollars are spent? What starts out as a dollar or less will soon be five dollars or more. If tax money is used to pay for 911 services, then maybe it is not a privelage. Do you consider law enforcement protection a privelage?

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Fri, Jul 20, 2007, at 10:34 PM

Sacha Champion's response:

Yes, people have been paying a very small fee on their land line phones since the inception of the 911 system. Obviously, it is so small that many haven't even noticed it on their bill. The same would be true for cell phones. I'm sure that most everyone with a cell phone spends more on text messages per month than they would for the tax to help run equipment to answer cell phone calls.

And yes, I do consider law enforcement to be a priveledge. Those guys sure don't get paid enough to risk their lives for perfect strangers they way they do. Maybe people should be a bit more appreciative of the efforts of law enforcement and 911 dispatching. I'm sure you would if your life, or the life of a loved one, ever depended on someone competent answering those phone calls. But remember, this is just my opinion and everyone is entitled to their own thoughts on the matter!! Keep up the good work of putting your own thought and ideas out there!!