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911 district warns of declining wireline revenue and recommends phased dispatch reimbursement cuts
Summary
The Taylor County/Abilene 911 district projected an $800,000 revenue shortfall and proposed phased reductions in the dispatch‑reimbursement program, which the district said is threatened by declining wireline tax revenue.
The Taylor County/Abilene 911 District told the council that wireline tax receipts are declining faster than anticipated and that the district faces a near‑term revenue shortfall.
Troy Swanson, who directs the city’s IT department and serves as president of the 911 emergency communications district, said the district expects roughly $3.5 million in revenue but is tracking an $800,000 shortfall for the current year. The decline stems primarily from a long‑term shift away from wireline (landline) services toward cellular and VoIP solutions, which generate smaller per‑line taxes.
The district proposed an incremental reduction in dispatch reimbursement to the city and county (one example shown was a one‑third reduction in the city’s dispatch reimbursement in the first year, phased over three years), and said the district would simultaneously pursue a revised rate model and other expense adjustments to stabilize its fund balance.
Swanson said the district has a fund balance around $4M and that the suggested reductions and rate adjustments are intended to avoid consuming the fund and to create a sustainable model given shifting communications technology and revenue bases.
Council members asked questions about the district’s rate structure, the geographic coverage of the district, and how VoIP and cellular taxation is treated; the district said it will work with the city and county and return with further details.
