Joseph E. Kantz
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania House voted 134 to 59 on Monday in favor of increasing a phone bill fee from $1 a month to $1.65, to support 911 emergency county communication centers. Snyder County Commissioner Joe Kantz says the county commissioners’ association wants the state to double the fee to $2.
Kantz said, “Right now today, the cost to run 911 is approximately $1.97 on each device. That’s what it costs counties statewide to actually operate the 911 centers. So, we thought the $2 was not out of line to ask for and try to get. The bill will now move to the Senate. We have been lobbying the Senate members as well to try to get that number increased.”
However, State Representatives Fred Keller (R-85th, Kreamer) and Kurt Masser (R-107th, Elysburg) voted against the measure. Kantz says he isn’t concerned, “I know both of those gentleman were very supportive at our press conference that we had a few weeks ago. I believe that there was just some language that they probably didn’t like and I think that if we needed that vote, we could probably count on them in the future.”
Kantz says they have a strong advocate in the state senate with John Gordner (R-27th, Berwick) being third in command. Kantz says Gordner is very aware of the issue and is actively involved in the whole process. If a new law isn’t in place by the end of June, the $1-a-month fee will expire. (Ali Stevens)