Hometownstations.com-WLIO- Lima, OH News Weather SportsEMA officials and sheriff department push for permanent cell phone surcharge

EMA officials and sheriff department push for permanent cell phone surcharge

Politicians in Columbus debate eliminating a tariff you pay as part of your monthly cell phone bill, but first responders say doing away with it could affect public safety.

Every day dispatchers at the 911 center in Putnam County use GPS trackers in cell phones to find the caller's location. 
"We use it every time there is a 911 call placed especially with cell phones. That's more important because they may not be attached to a land line that would give a positive ID of exactly where that call is coming from," Putnam County Sheriff Jim Beutler, said.

That means if you're stuck in the woods or get into an accident in a remote location authorities can find you.  It's thanks to a $0.28 tariff included in your cell phone bill they can do that.

Since 2005 Ohio counties have gotten $167 million from the surcharge. Now some politicians in Columbus want to do away with that tariff. State Representative Lynn Wachtmann says the tariff is important to public safety, but says we're paying too much.

"That technology from my standpoint has already been purchased and is in place so I think that amount of tax on cell phones is probably on the high side and should be lowered," he said.

Local sheriff departments and emergency management agencies say they need the $0.28 to keep up with technology. 

"We have the technology in place but there are some upgrades coming along with that and those are the things that we're really concerned about is maintaining and keeping what we do have and keeping up with that technology as it does change every year," Sheriff Beutler, said.

A lower or no tariff could also mean more money coming out of local fire department budgets because they'd have to pay for those needed technology updates.

"In the long run it would affect additional equipment purchases or other maintenance that we have on that equipment from a local standpoint."

The current $0.28 cent tariff expires at the end of the year.  EMA officials hope legislators keep the current monthly surcharge and make it so it never expires.