CA Town Charges $300.00 for 911 calls

Tracy CA a bedroom community in the San Francisco bay area with a largely white population of about 70,000 has decided to charge residents for 911 calls they have a choice, either pay $48.00 per year and call 911 all you want, or pay $300.00 per call. According to statistics Tracy had 31,700 reported crimes between 1999 and 2006 (the last year that has complete data). This is just slightly higher than the national average for the same period. Clearly the local city government has found a way to net a cool $3,360’000 a year, if the residents all pay the new yearly fee. Of course if they don’t then they may face the $300.00 per call surcharge or maybe die. Obviously if faced with a violent crime you would call 911 to save your life, but what about your neighbors, or even better a stranger. The effects of this decision may very well have disastrous consequences for some citizens. Here is just another sign that all over America city and state governments are cutting services and raising fees because of the poor judgment and miserable financial decisions of our local city state and yes even the federal government and as usual we pay the price in more ways than one. Keep an eye out this could be coming soon to a city near you, maybe yours.