County eyes floating 911 levy, again
Sheriff’s Deputies and the SWAT team responded to a home in Hungry Horse in this file photo. The county will likelyfloat a levy to pay for 911 this fall.
Flathead County will likely float a new mill levy request this fall to pay for 911 services. The proposed levy language hasn’t been set yet, but the topic of the levy has come up at several Columbia Falls City Council meetings as of late.
The 911 center has an operating budget of about $3.6 million and a capital budget of about $305,000 this year, according to figures provided by the county.
However, revenue fell short this year, with about $3.418 million available for operations and $164,900 for capital. The deficit was made up by cash reserves.
The county currently receives funding for 911 from a charge on phone bills, a levy and funding from the cities.
The cities have long complained about 911 financing, because city residents, in essence, are double taxed. A property owner pays the county taxes for 911 and cities, in turn, also pay the county additional monies for 911.
The idea behind this levy is to do away with the double taxation.
A ballot proposal floated in 2014 narrowly failed by just 11 votes.
Columbia Falls officials who sit on the county’s 911 board said this time, there will be more emphasis on a public information campaign to get the word out on the system and its needs so voters might better support a levy.