Pai Joins O'Rielly in Letter to Illinois Condemning 911 Fee Diversion

“Under no circumstances” should state 911 fee revenue be diverted for purposes unrelated to 911, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Mike O’Rielly wrote Tuesday to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R). O’Rielly has mailed several states to condemn 911 fund skimming, but Tuesday’s letter appears to be the first to also carry Pai’s signature. Illinois diverted for several years but appeared to stop after 2015, they noted. “We urge you to continue the practice of 2016 and 2017 and devote these critical funds solely to the purpose for which they were intended: maintaining and improving public safety communications systems for the benefit of the people of Illinois.” Illinois Statewide 911 Administrator Cindy Barbera-Brelle told the commission the state won’t divert in the future so it may be eligible for next-generation 911 federal grants, the commissioners said. One Illinois county’s 911 director told them “upgrades have been put off and loans have been taken out to supplement the shortfall associated with past state diversion practices,” they said. National momentum to end 911 fee diversion appears to be growing, with Congress weighing a bill to discourage the practice (see 1808170023).