Board approves to increase 911 fee, takes effect June 1st

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The East Baton Rouge Communications District approved to increase the 911 fee, which takes effect on June 1.

According to the Communications District, from 2019 to 2021, calls have increased by over 62%. The last increase to the fee was in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.

The Board voted Wednesday, a 5:1 vote to increase the fee that will generate an estimated $2.2 million annually for new employees, maintenance, and an upgraded 911 system.

Officials said they must send the new vote information to 181 service providers in the area. They claimed that the new fee can take effect on June 1. They are having a phone bill increase this June.

The fee amounts to an annual increase of $4.32 per residential landline, $4.80 per wireless connection, and $5.88 per business landline.

One board member Baton Rouge Police Department Deputy Chief Myron Daniels was the only one who disapproved of the proposal.

“That information was not there in my opinion,” said Daniels. “There also is a $12 million surplus.”

Click here for more information about the district’s budgeting.