Addressing 911 Emergency Communications Tax Fairness
Ginny Ramos, Legislative Assistant to CM Paul Dillon, vramos@spokanecity.org
Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 2:52 p.m.
Spokane— On Thursday, January 30, 2025, in the House Finance Committee, Spokane City Council Member Paul Dillon, District 2, provided testimony supporting House Bill 1258, which addresses 911 Emergency Communications Tax Fairness by helping resolve the lack of representation at the Spokane Emergency Regional Communications (SREC).
“As chair of Finance and Administration, I am proud to support HB 1258. The reason is simple: Even though we represent the highest calls for service, the largest city does not have a say about 911. This bill would allow the city to get 48% of the 911 excise tax revenue, which is a sensible solution given we are roughly 60% of the call volume. We all prioritize public safety, and residents deserve to feel safe, but let’s not let politics get in the way of public safety. That’s why creating fairness in how 911 dispatch services are funded is so important, and that’s exactly what HB 1258 does. I thank Rep. Timm Ormsby and Rep. Natasha Hill for moving this legislation forward and working toward real collaborative solutions.”
