Property tax to pay for 911 services in Kenton County

COVINGTON, Ky. - Landowners in Kenton County will see a new property tax next year that will fund the county's 911 dispatch services.

"It amounts to $85.00 per parcel," said County Judge Executive Steve Arlinghaus.

The decision by the Kenton County Fiscal Court comes after it deadlocked Tuesday, whether to force Duke Energy to include a 911 fee on the bill for its rate payers.

If the measure had passed Duke was prepared to take the matter to court because the company believed it was an overreach of the county's authority.

Funding for 911 services has diminished over the years as more and more residents switch to mobile phones and cancel their traditional land line accounts, the traditional source of 911 funding.

The new tax Arlinghaus believes will raise just enough to cover operating expenses.

"We estimate we'll raise approximately $5 million. Right now we operate at about $4.9 million annually."

Arlinghaus says that the current land line fees will be removed as the property tax is increased.  He says that for those who own more than one parcel but don't live on it the county will make sure those land owners aren't charged more than the $85.00.

The move comes about a month before the next step in Kenton County's 911 story.  Covington will soon merge its 911 services into the county's leaving Erlanger as the last municipality to operate its own dispatch center in the county.