Members of the Federal Communications Commission threatened to withhold federal funds from New York State over the state's handling of money meant to go to 911 emergency services, money taken out of New Yorkers' cell phone bills.
The funds are collected as a $1.20 per month state "public safety communication surcharge" attached to the fees for wireless phone service. While the FCC reported in December that surcharge yielded more $185 million in New York in 2016, the commission also found "substantial" amounts of those funds are routinely diverted away from 911 services and into the state's general fund. Read more on this from WHEC...
FCC officials blast NY handling of 911 money, threaten loss of federal money
