LANSING – If proponents of a Michigan public safety surcharge on phones want to raise $135 million annually, they have to make the monthly fee $1.27, not $1.35, as proposed in HB 4852.

Mark Wolf with the House Fiscal Agency projects the $1.27 figure based on charging all landline, cell, pre-paid, Voice over Internet Protocol a monthly fee plus providing a discount as prescribed in SB 410 . The original $1.35 figure would have brought in nearly $200 million.

But Sgt. Matt Bolger with the Department of State Police said his understanding was that proponents of the legislation have always targeted revenues at $135 million. He said the original thought was that each cent charged would equal $1 million in revenues, hence the $1.35 figure, but that was simply a miscalculation.

It does not appear any changes will be made at this point to the funding formula: 24.4 percent will still go to the Michigan Public Safety Communications System, 9.3 percent goes to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, 11.1 percent goes to the Criminal Justice Information System, 1.9 percent goes to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Coordinating Council, 6.6 percent goes to the Bureau of Fire Services, 14.8 percent goes to the traffic fund, 23 percent goes to forensics, 0.75 percent goes to the Detroit Police Department crime lab, 0.75 percent goes to 911 non-emergency diversion and the remaining 7.4 percent goes to parole and probation monitoring systems.

With the legislation is bringing opposition from some groups in the law enforcement community; some legislators have been looking at ways to reduce the fee. But if they want to knock it down to something less than $1, 99 cents for example, that would only generate $106 million, Wolf estimates.

Regardless of any reduction that could occur, opposition to the bill remains.

Terrance Jungel, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association said the issue is not “sheriffs against State Police” and that his group has supported the department for proper funding and likes several of the projects funded in the bill.

But they don’t support the way that funding would be derived. Jungel said his group is taking a lot of heat for opposing the bill, but the right to disagree with one another is part of democracy and they are not alone in their dissent.

Scott Stevenson with the Telecommunications Association of Michigan continued to object to the legislation, which he said would still levy a $135 million tax for programs that should be funded with general fund dollars.

And Todd Anderson with the Small Business Association of Michigan argued it too would remain opposed, saying “We have no idea where it’s going to end,” in terms of various tax increase proposals floating around the Legislature.

Supporters of the legislation have argued public safety is suffering because of the state budget problems and a surcharge on phones makes sense since that is the instrument most people use when needing assistance, which can involve a multitude of areas within law enforcement depending on the situation.

It’s not clear when the legislation will be taken up in the House Appropriations Committee. The panel is scheduled to work on education budgets next week and possibly August 8. The chair, Rep. George Cushingberry Jr. (D-Detroit), will then leave for Israel until August 20.

This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com

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