Voters in 28 counties to consider enhanced 911 service

Friday, December 9th 2005, 10:46 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahomans in 28 counties will vote Tuesday on whether a tax of 50 cents a month should be instituted to fund improvements that would allow 911 operators to pinpoint the location of people who call them on cell phones.

The tax would be applied to every cell phone in the affected counties. This enhanced 911 service is already available for some landline phones.

Many emergency officials and police unions say the enhanced service is key to finding people who have been able to call 911 but can't say where they are.

``Tulsa's police officers and dispatchers _ and other emergency and public safety personnel _ routinely face situations in which the enhanced 911 services would make a big difference in allowing us to make a timely and effective response,'' said Keith Fallis, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93, which represents more than 600 Tulsa police officers.

Richard Prawdzienski, former Libertarian Party state chairman who ran for the state House of Representatives in 2004, said the government should use current funds to pay for the enhanced service rather than asking for more money.

Voters in Mayes, McIntosh, Stephens, Tillman, Atoka and Jackson counties have turned down the tax in recent years. After failing in 2002, the tax passed in Pawnee County in 2004. It also passed in Washita and Payne counties.

Counties to vote on the measure Tuesday include Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Cherokee, Cleveland, Comanche, Craig, Creek, Custer, Delaware, Grady, Harmon, Haskell, Kiowa, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, McIntosh, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Pontotoc, Roger Mills, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington

Also on Tuesday, voters in Lincoln County will decide whether to allow alcoholic beverages to be sold at local restaurants. A similar proposal failed in 1986. Liquor by the drink is a county option in Oklahoma and there are 35 dry counties in the state.