ADOPTED - OCTOBER 14, 2008
Agenda Item No. 23
Introduced by the Law Enforcement Committee of the:
INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO MICHIGAN HOUSE BILL 6070 AMENDING THE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SERVICES ENABLING ACT
RESOLUTION #08-289
WHEREAS, the Michigan House of Representatives introduced House Bill 6070, which seeks to amend Public Act 32 of 1986 entitled the “Emergency Telephone Service Enabling Act” by usurping the County Board of Commissioner’s ability to levy a local 9-1-1 operational surcharge by resolution; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 6070 mandates that all 9-1-1 operational surcharges be approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission, an appointed, unelected bureaucracy with no accountability to the citizens of Ingham County, rather than the legally elected Board that the residents of Ingham County have entrusted to represent them and do hold accountable; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 6070 only allows a county 9-1-1 surcharge to be assessed after approval from the Public Services Commission, followed by a vote of the people of the county, to wit: “A county MAY NOT seek voter approval for a 9-1-1 surcharge unless the proposed 9-1-1 surcharge has been approved by the commission”; and
WHEREAS, the Michigan Public Services Commission is a regulatory commission dealing with tariff rates for utilities and has no knowledge of local public safety communications needs; and
WHEREAS, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, demonstrating due diligence in determining local public safety communication needs, has historically funded public safety communications through a fiscally conservative 9-1-1 operational surcharge, without asking permission from an appointed State commission; and
WHEREAS, the time lines mandated by House Bill 6070 would, in most counties, necessitate the unnecessary, wasteful expense of a special election in order to obtain voter approval in a timely fashion; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 6070 continues to provide benefits to the telecommunication service providers including a 2% “billing and collection” charge plus an undefined “technical surcharge” for which there is no accountability, while impeding the County Board’s ability to fund critical services with inflexible mandatory timelines.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners hereby adopts this resolution in opposition to House Bill 6070.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Clerk shall send copies of this resolution to Governor Jennifer Granholm, the Ingham County state legislative delegation, the Michigan Sheriffs Association and the Michigan Association of Counties.
LAW ENFORCEMENT: Yeas: Holman, Copedge, De Leon, Schafer
Nays: None Absent: Celentino, Tennis Approved 10/2/08