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Tracy Residents Now Have To Pay For 911 Calls

Slartibartfast

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Tracy Residents Now Have To Pay For 911 Calls - cbs13.com

Tracy residents will now have to pay every time they call 9-1-1 for a medical emergency.

But there are a couple of options. Residents can pay a $48 voluntary fee for the year which allows them to call 9-1-1 as many times as necessary.

Or, there's the option of not signing up for the annual fee. Instead, they will be charged $300 if they make a call for help.

This is terrible. I foresee this situation: Someone gets in a wreck or has a medical emergency on a sidewalk somewhere and this has the potential to cause someone to think twice about calling 911 to help.
 
There are no words for the stupidity of something like this.
 
It would be hilarious is the guy who made this bill got into a car accident, and nobody called 911 because they didn't want to pay the $300.
 
Because government stupidity on all levels knows no bounds.

We truly have the government we deserve.
 
The people of this once thriving Community are mostly power middle class and below and the leadership is foolish.

This is another indication of how bad things are across the State. I lived in this town in the 702 1nd early 80s and it was once a nice place to live and raise a family but those days are long gone.

I do wonder where all the tax money goes, but then I always wondered that. There has always been a drug problem and a ghetto in what is called the South side, just south of the Rail Road Tracks almost like on old country song. That area is almost all minorities. It's a sad truth.

I think they should recall everyone from city Government, and replace them with people who will address the real problems of unions, they don't belong in government
 
About time

As a taxpayer why on earth should I be subsidizing those morons who need to use emergency services.

If you dont want to pay the fee dont get into the situation where you will need the police in an emergency, or fire department or an Ambulance(sp)

Or so some might think
 
What is so wrong with this?

You can pay the yearly tax and be fully covered?

People already pay a 911 fee as a surcharge in their phone bill. Paying an additional charge is ridiculous, and those who are charged with extra fee should file a class action lawsuit.

Also, if someone sees a cop get shot, does he pay 300 bucks to help him out, or does he just stop at the scene, as mandated by law, and hopes that an ambulance shows up?
 
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I can see it now....

Car accident on the side of a lonesome road...

You drive up...

Injured driver: "please, call 911...."

You: "Certainly, I take cash or credit cards, so as soon as you pay the $300.00, we are good to go."
 
People already pay a 911 fee as a surcharge in their phone bill. Paying an additional charge is ridiculous, and those who are charged with extra fee should file a class action lawsuit.

Also, if someone sees a cop get shot, does he pay 300 bucks to help him out, or does he just stop at the scene, as mandated by law, and hopes that an ambulance shows up?

That crap ain't cheap and this may be just a realistic way to pay for it instead of the pittance through the phone company.

What about people who don't pay it, like those who use VOIP?

I find it quite funny that when faced with the real price, everyone recoils with horror.
 
I can see it now....

Car accident on the side of a lonesome road...

You drive up...

Injured driver: "please, call 911...."

You: "Certainly, I take cash or credit cards, so as soon as you pay the $300.00, we are good to go."

I assume it would work the same way as an ambulance bill. You pay after the fact. If not then this bill is even more of a joke.
 
Town, County, State tax revenue is down in many parts of the country because of the downturn in the economy. There is not enough dollars to maintain the level of services in police and fire, social programs, education, unemployment, constructions, transportation systemes, etc. Unlike the federal government, towns, states, can't print money. Many people don't like to hear the word tax, so it looks like they came up with a fee (which is a tax, imo) to be able to maintain services.

If fire and police services decline. How long do you think before your insurance will go up because of the lower service. It would be smarter to pay the small fee. What the public needs to do is keep an eye on the politicians to ensure the money goes to 911 services.
 
I assume it would work the same way as an ambulance bill. You pay after the fact. If not then this bill is even more of a joke.

I would assume that is correct, or no one would call 911.
 
There are no words for the stupidity of something like this.
You have to give them a credit card over the phone before police and fire will show up. :rofl
 
$300 seems pretty steep. What if your kid dials it?

What will happen is that you'll have people bypassing the system and calling the hospital directly, bothering the unit clerk at the local ER.
 
OMG! It's a hit and run! This poor guy is going to bleed to death if we don't get an ambulance now! Anyone pay the $48? Anyone? How about you sir, did you pay for the 911?

Oh, well. It's too late now. Does it cost to call the morgue?

What a ludicrous idea. Don't we already pay for 911 service on our regular phone bills?

What about calling 911 on the cell to report a drunko weaving down the highway, does that cost $300 too?
 
OMG! It's a hit and run! This poor guy is going to bleed to death if we don't get an ambulance now! Anyone pay the $48? Anyone? How about you sir, did you pay for the 911?

Oh, well. It's too late now. Does it cost to call the morgue?

What a ludicrous idea. Don't we already pay for 911 service on our regular phone bills?

What about calling 911 on the cell to report a drunko weaving down the highway, does that cost $300 too?

It does sound ridiculous.

I called 911 recently to report an erratic driver on the interstate. I certainly wouldn't use the service if I was charged $300.
 
Providing emergency services is pretty much a basic responsibility of government so I don't see how they can get away with this.

However, they certainly ought to charge for frivolous 911 calls. For example, and this is a true story, I know this old man (who was a complete moron) that literally called 911 because he had a large splinter in his hand. Emergency services came out and removed it. That is probably worth a $300 fine.

Some states now charge you for backcountry rescues if you are unprepared in the backcountry and need rescue.
 
Providing emergency services is pretty much a basic responsibility of government so I don't see how they can get away with this.

However, they certainly ought to charge for frivolous 911 calls. For example, and this is a true story, I know this old man (who was a complete moron) that literally called 911 because he had a large splinter in his hand. Emergency services came out and removed it. That is probably worth a $300 fine.

Some states now charge you for backcountry rescues if you are unprepared in the backcountry and need rescue.

That seems more reasonable, to charge for frivolous calls.

I don't know how old people are, but 911 service has only been around for 2 or 3 decades. It used to be that you directly called the ambulance. The idea was to make it simpler and universal. There is a problem with frivolous calls. People should be charged for those.
 
Providing emergency services is pretty much a basic responsibility of government so I don't see how they can get away with this.

However, they certainly ought to charge for frivolous 911 calls. For example, and this is a true story, I know this old man (who was a complete moron) that literally called 911 because he had a large splinter in his hand. Emergency services came out and removed it. That is probably worth a $300 fine.

Some states now charge you for backcountry rescues if you are unprepared in the backcountry and need rescue.

Now, that I can see. Call 911 when there is no emergency, and pay for the price of the response.

As for backcountry rescues, there is a service you can buy for less than $10 a year if you have a SPOT personal locator. I have one, and carry it whenever going to remote places. It does come with a warning that a frivolous call will cost you dearly, particularly if it results in helicopters being called out.
 
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