Item A: Adoption of 2007 Legislative Policies

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B. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AND 9-1-1 SERVICES 1. REAUTHORIZATION AND PROTECTION OF 9-1-1 TAX REVENUES The 9-1-1 Excise tax is set to sunset on December 31, 2007. In FY06, the tax provided $1.2 million in revenue which equated to 24% of the total Communications Center budget. In addition to ensuring that the tax is reauthorized to continue seamless 9-1-1 service throughout Lane County and the State of Oregon, it is important to work to keep those dedicated funds from being expended for any purpose other than 9-1-1 services. In the 3rd Special Session of 2002, $7 million was diverted from the PSAP Consolidation Incentive Fund and $2 million from the Enhanced 9-1-1 Sub-Account (to pay for Phase II wireless location implementation) to credit the State’s General Fund. This diversion of 9- 1-1 funds from the intended purpose for which they were collected from the public, set back significantly the implementation of life-saving Enhanced 9-1-1 technology which would enable 9-1-1 operators to locate wireless callers and dispatch necessary information to emergency responders. 2. 9-1-1 TELEPHONE EXCISE TAX - ADEQUACY AND DISTRIBUTION Revenue from the 9-1-1 telephone excise tax needs to be closely monitored to ensure that it adequately covers the full local cost of providing this mandated service. Where this is not the case, the City of Eugene supports legislation to increase revenue to local jurisdictions to operate the system and/or to reevaluate the 1% guaranteed distribution floor to counties that is inequitable. 3. FLEXIBILITY FOR PSAP ALIGNMENT The City recognizes that some consolidation of Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) should occur statewide. However, a one-size-fits-all approach of consolidating to a single PSAP per county could prove costly and reduce levels of service in Lane County and other regions. Lane County includes 4 PSAPs geographically spread out across the Oregon Coast, Willamette Valley, and Cascades, providing high standards of emergency response that a single PSAP alignment would be hard pressed to meet. Additionally, consolidation to a single PSAP might necessitate costs for new facilities. City of Eugene Legislative Policies, 2007 Session With IGR Mtg 10/17 and 10/26 Amendments C:\Documents and Settings\ceexelf\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK10B\LegPol2007Sesxx1.doc Updated on: 11/6/2006 By: Last saved by ceexmfw 48