KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clay County residents voted to approve a $1 fee to help fund the county's 911 system during a special election Tuesday night.
With nearly 61% of the votes, residents passed Proposition A, which will charge cell phone users in the county a $1 monthly fee.
In the weeks leading up to Tuesday's election, Clay County Sheriff Will Akin had been meeting with residents to talk about the importance of approving the proposition.
County officials said 89% of the 911 calls made in the county come from sources that don't pay for the system.
The county currently receives its funding through the use of landlines, which aren't used as much, officials said.
Now that voters passed Proposition A, the fee will replace the existing $1 fee on landlines, which has been around since 1993.
"I really want to thank the residents of Clay County who took the time to vote on this important issue. The passage of Proposition A will guarantee a sustainable funding source for the 911 system in Clay County for years to come," Akin said after Proposition A passed. "It will allow us to adapt to new technologies that will improve public safety here and in the Kansas City Metro area. It also decreases pressure on the County’s budget, which will maintain other County services at the level residents have come to expect. We appreciate the support for public safety in Clay County."
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