An Editorial...Vote Yes on 911 Service Fee

Delaware County voters will go to the polls Dec. 13 to decide what could be a lifesaving issue. Voters in Tulsa County will also vote on the same issue.
In an emergency, if you currently dial 911 from your cell phone you may be routed to a call center miles away, unfamiliar with your location and unable to identify where you are for emergency first responders.
If the proposition passes, cell phone users will be assessed a monthly fee of 50 cents per phone to establish a routing of 911 calls to Delaware County's call center. If you are unable to speak due to medical, trauma or other conditions, the 911 call center will be able to locate you via GPS or tower network. Wireless 911 calls now take almost three times longer to handle than wireline 911 calls.
This is a small price to pay for something that could save your life in an emergency. Fifty cents a month is worth the piece of mind that comes with knowing emergency responders can find you if you are unable to tell them where you are located.
The Observer encourages you to vote YES on this issue Dec. 13.
But, we have to ask: Why can't the phone companies that make millions of dollars in profit every year pay for this service? Answer: Because they won't.