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Kane County panel backs statewide increase to 911 surcharge to shore up dispatch funding
Summary
Kane County's Legislative Committee voted to support state legislation to raise the statewide 911 surcharge, citing rising technology and staffing costs and the need to sustain next-generation 911 services; the resolution will go to the county's Executive Committee.
The Kane County Legislative Committee voted to support state bills that would raise Illinois's monthly 911 surcharge, adopting a resolution urging the General Assembly to act.
Representatives of the county's five public-safety answering points told the committee that the current $1.50-per-line surcharge has not kept pace with rising network, staffing and technology costs since it was last increased in 2017. "Our operating costs have continued to rise now due to our technology and staffing," said Latoya Mars, deputy director at Tri-Com, describing next-generation 911 network and GIS demands. "$1.50 isn't what $1.50 used to be."
Michelle, a county 911 coordinator who introduced the centers' briefing, said the presenters asked members to support House Bill 4066 and Senate Bill 2670 to restore fiscal stability for the centers and to preserve services such as text-to-911 and statewide GIS location routing. She said the centers are proposing a higher base rate and noted that Chicago currently receives $5 per line.
Clayton Cox, McGuireWoods' Washington lead, earlier highlighted how counties are competing for federal funding but said local emergency communications remain primarily sustained by the surcharge and subscribing agencies.
The committee approved the resolution by roll call and will forward the matter to the Executive Committee for further action. Commissioners who voted in favor on record included Grape, Linder and Gums; no sustained objections were recorded in the meeting transcript. The resolution asks county leadership to urge state legislators to pass the surcharge update so 911 centers can fund personnel, next-generation systems, logging recorders and training.
County staff and the 911 presenters said the increase would be designed as a user fee paid by telecommunication account holders rather than a property-tax increase. They also asked the county to communicate the need to state lawmakers and to monitor any proposed inflation adjustments tied to the surcharge.
The committee directed staff to forward the resolution to the Executive Committee and follow up with the centers on implementation details and fiscal projections.
