Lawmakers need to reject legislation that would impose an ill-advised $1.35 monthly fee on phone users statewide. This plan to create a separate Public Safety Fund to cover expenses for the State Police and others is a bad idea. Public safety is a core responsibility of government. The dollars to finance this essential service must come from the primary source of funding for operations, the state general fund.

Law enforcement agencies, like every aspect of state government, has taken a hit due to the budget crunch but the Legislature needs to provide dollars for them via real revenue and expense reforms, not an inappropriate tax on an unrelated service.

This bill, in part, has been talked about as aiding the 911 system but that’s hardly the case. The fee just applies to all communication services that connect with the 911 system. The estimated $198 million generated would be divvied up among multiple groups. The State Police, the biggest benefactor, supports the measure. But a slew of local and state law enforcement groups see no benefit and oppose it, including the Michigan Sheriff’s Association and Police Officers Association of Michigan. This tacky phone tax shouldn’t be apart of the solution to the pending deficit. That’s lazy governance. It does not address fundamental challenges but instead stuffs a money bag while making 911 the latest version of a pay phone.