Wheeling hopes residents accept '70 cents for safety' this time

Wheeling residents will vote Tuesday on increasing the 911 surcharge by 70 cents, almost doubling the fee, which is now 75 cents a month for each land telephone line in the village.

Allowing for inflation, this increase would keep the fee consistent with what was approved by village residents in 1989, said Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac.

By law, the money raised by this surcharge is used only for police and fire dispatch services, and the additional money is needed to keep the system and its technology up to date, said MacIsaac.

He said he has not heard from many residents.

"What little I've heard has been mixed," said MacIsaac. "Some people are very supportive and understand it. And then there are those people who somehow think these services should all be free."

Voters rejected the increase in 2008.

Village President Judy Abruscato said her neighbor is the only one who has commented to her.

"People need to vote for that referendum," said Abruscato. "It's 70 cents for safety, a cheap price to pay."

If money for emergency communications came from the general fund, property taxes would have to go up, said Abruscato.

The village also gets money from the state surcharge for cell phones whose owners live in Wheeling. Wheeling's share from the two funds totals almost $400,000 per year.

The fire and ambulance dispatching is done through the regional Red Center, said MacIssac, but local equipment is still required, and the police department is dispatched locally.