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MARIETTA - A renewal for Washington County's 911 tax levy will be on the ballot for voters this November.
The levy was first approved in 2016 and collects an estimated $539,124 annually. The money funds 50% of 11 dispatcher salaries at the Washington County Sheriff's office and two full-time dispatchers at the Marietta Police Department.
At the Belpre Police Department, the funds are used for software licensing, equipment, and maintenance.
The levy collects at a rate of 0.35 mil for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $12 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value.
Douglas Moore, executive director of 911 services, said most residences in Washington County fall under the class one property tax exemption lowering the cost to approximately $6.
"Which is, in my opinion, very cheap for the quality of service the dispatchers provide, and the connection to emergency services," Moore said.
According to Moore, the cost to run all three 911 centers in 2025 was approximately $2.2 million and the levy covers about a quarter of the costs, "but it makes a big difference," he said.
He said without the funding "it would be hard to tell what could happen."
Moore said the only place there could be cuts would be the number of employees as their equipment and software is set.
"The levy allows us to be able to employ good people that love their jobs, and provide the community with quick, accurate, and trained dispatchers that do the job efficiently and effectively to be able to provide them with life-saving instructions over the phone before help gets there," Moore said.
The levy would be in place for five years, commencing in 2026, first due in the calendar year 2027.
The 911 levy renewal will be on the Nov. 3 ballot.