Clay County voters approve $1 monthly cellphone fee for 911 emergency services
Clay County voters on Tuesday approved a ballot measure that adds a $1 monthly fee to cellphone bills to pay for 911 operations in Kansas City’s Northland.
Nearly 61% Clay County voters approved of the measure, with roughly 14,500 total ballots cast, according to unofficial results Tuesday night. Passage of Proposition A is meant to collect money earmarked solely for the county’s 911 emergency system.
Funds generated through the fee are to be audited annually. The passage also means a current fee placed on landline telephones will be phased out.
Sheriff Will Akin, a proponent of the measure, says the money collected with the fee will allow the sheriff’s department to implement new technologies and improve public safety overall. He celebrated the decision by voters in a statement Tuesday night.
“I really want to thank the residents of Clay County who took the time to vote on this important issue,” Akin said, saying the passage of the ballot issue “will guarantee a sustainable funding source for the 911 system in Clay County for years to come.”
