County staff flag $200,000 9‑1‑1 subsidy and possible double‑billing for residents

Davis County staff told the Budget Committee that the county general fund is subsidizing the county 9‑1‑1 dispatch center by roughly $200,000 and raised concerns about residents potentially paying duplicate fees if cities maintain separate dispatch operations.

"If I live in Clinton, I pay a tax to have 9‑1‑1 services. If I live in Bountiful, I pay a tax to have 9‑1‑1 services. And then I'm also paying to the county so that they can subsidize the 9‑1‑1 services," Speaker 1 said, describing the subsidy and a possible perception of double taxation.

Participants explained why the county subsidy exists and how dispatch revenue allocation is calculated. Speaker 4 said dispatch payments are based on calls into each system and noted that when cities (including Farmington and Kaysville) switched dispatch providers the call‑volume calculation shifted some revenue and expenses. Speaker 4 described a three‑year averaging approach that smooths transitions but can cause temporary mismatches between service cost and collected fees.

Speaker 1 said the county’s 9‑1‑1 dispatch fund had a fund balance of about $900,000 in 2024 but is experiencing revenue declines while expenses remain steady. That creates an ongoing pressure: "Unless we do something on the revenue side ... we could charge the unincorporated fund more money," Speaker 1 said, proposing options such as reassigning subsidy responsibility to the unincorporated fund or charging participating cities different rates.

No formal decision on subsidy reallocation was made at the session; staff said they will return with more detailed numbers and options for changing fee structures or participation agreements.