The Berks County commissioners are moving their April 9 meeting to make a point.
The board has been emphasizing the need for state legislators to update the funding system for emergency services. The April 9 meeting will take place, therefore, at the Department of Emergency Services in Reading.
“I’m hoping that every single one of the House and Senate members that represent Berks County will show or have a key staffer there,” said Commissioners’ Chairman Christian Leinbach.
The commissioners are using the department as a backdrop to deliver the message that 911 fees need to be adjusted. Currently, emergency services are mostly funded by fees attached to landlines and cell phones. Those $1.25 fees were determined in 1990.
Both inflation and the decline in landlines have forced counties to dip into the general fund to pay for emergency services.
“We need to properly fund the core role of government. Ask anyone, whether it is federal, state, county or municipal what the core role of government is. It’s public safety,” Leinbach said.
When the county has to dip into the general fund to supplement the insufficient funding from user fees, it increases the likelihood that property taxes will go up. Instead, the commissioners want legislation to pass that will raise the fees to $2 per month for all devices that can reach 911.
Beyond landlines, devices like tablet and connections like OnStar can contact 911 but do not have a fee associated to emergency services.
“To burden the property owners is the wrong way to do it. If we get the $2 to pass, it could eliminate the need to fund 911 on the backs of the property owners,” Commissioner Kevin Barnhardt said.
The commissioners plan on discussing the issue further at the April 9 meeting which is set for 10 a.m. at Department of Emergency Services Office, 2561 Bernville Road, Reading on the first floor in the Multi-Purpose Room.
Commissioners alerted the public that the usual live broadcast of the meeting may not be available from that meeting. If the building is unable to support of live feed, the meeting will be recorded for later viewing, Leinbach said.