Whether it’s a medical emergency, threat to public safety, or natural disaster, our public safety and medical response professionals depend on 9-1-1 call centers to ensure they can respond immediately.

Since 1996, Santa Cruz County has been served by an exceptional consolidated dispatch center: the Santa Cruz County Emergency Communications Center (SCCECC, or Netcom).

Now, a recent court decision has thrown out the funding source that many jurisdictions have relied upon to fund their 9-1-1 services. The City of Santa Cruz is fighting back with a special election and Measure T.

Here’s the background: Over the last five years or so, as local governments throughout California faced growing fiscal constraints, they looked for new sources of secure revenue to fund essential public services.

Many jurisdictions, including the City of Santa Cruz, established a small monthly fee on telephone lines to generate the funding needed to support 9-1-1 call centers. For the City of Santa Cruz, the fee generated roughly $1.5 million annually to meet its 9-1-1 center assessment.

In April, an appellate court ruling in another City found that these charges were technically not fees, and must therefore be approved by voters. The City had no choice but to repeal its 9-1-1 fee, but the loss of revenue was devastating.

Without the 9-1-1 fee, which had been in place since 2003, the City suddenly faced the loss of more than $100,000 each month that had previously been available to support 9-1-1 services. With the City already confronting a deficit of over $2 million for the coming year; the additional shortfall set the stage for even deeper cuts in all City functions, including public safety.

In response, the Santa Cruz City Council made an official finding of fiscal emergency, and called for a special election with mail-only ballots for the purpose of restoring this lost revenue. Measure T would establish a monthly fee of $3.49 per phone line in the City of Santa Cruz – the same rate that was put in place in 2003.

Applied to both land and cell phone lines, Measure T would once again generate enough revenue to offset the City’s share of 9-1-1 operating costs, as well as future equipment upgrades mandated by the federal government to increase capacity and improve communication between emergency agencies.

Local residents apparently understand the value of the 9-1-1 services they receive; support for Measure T has been consistently strong. There was no argument filed against the measure for the Voter Pamphlet, and Yes on T endorsements span the political spectrum.

Among the many organizations that have endorsed Measure T are the Santa Cruz Firefighters and Police Officers Associations, Friends of Parks and Recreation, Chamber of Commerce, Port District, Seniors Council, County Medical Society, Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, and Santa Cruz State Lifeguard Association. For additional information, visit www.Yes-on-T.com

Why this high level of support?

Residents clearly value the service provided by our local 9-1-1 Center. In a recent poll, nearly 40 percent of the respondents said they or someone in their family had called 9-1- 1 within the past two to three years, and 89 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received.

These results are no accident. Santa Cruz’s consolidated dispatch center is the only dispatch center in California to have achieved and retained national accreditation. Even a casual visitor to the dispatch center is struck by the commitment and professionalism that permeates every aspect of the center’s operations.

We can’t afford to compromise our 9-1-1 and emergency response. That’s why I urge all city voters to support Measure T.

Measure T supports prompt emergency response in the event of a medical emergency, fire, threat to public safety or natural disaster.

Without Measure T, we would see further cuts in public safety and other essential City services.

Voters in the City of Santa Cruz should have just received their ballots for Measure T. This is a special mail-only election, and ballots must be returned by August 26.

Remember: When you dial 9-1-1, every second is crucial. Please Vote YES on Measure T.

Vice Mayor Cynthia Mathews has served on the Santa Cruz City Council for 14 years, and chairs the Yes on T campaign committee.

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Comments (2)

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This tax goes into the 'general fund', not a special account for 911.

Phone lines are essentials and taxing them hurts the poor more than the wealthy.

The politicians in Santa Cruz are out of touch with struggle many residents. If we are progressive, how about a tax on boats?

martin bickford , August 02, 2008

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Vote NO. A tax is a tax is a tax, and calling it a "fee" is a lie. The city should have to learn to live within its means, just like the rest of us in these difficult economic times.

Robert , August 02, 2008

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