Please join us in stopping NYS from raiding the cell surcharge funds that it collects from every cell contract customer within the state. Albany has made it a long standing policy to rely on these funds to be included within the general fund of the NYS budget. This policy has denied the 911 centers across the state from affording the technology upgrades that they so desperately need to remain current with the ever changing communications technologies available to the public. The state has collected in excess of 220 million dollars a year from the public and then awarded small percentages of those funds to the 911 centers via a competitive grant process that restricts the use of those dollars to limited capital projects. The state also chooses not to collect a surcharge on prepaid cell services, (Trac Phones) leaving an estimated 250 million dollars uncollected. If you feel that this policy has gone on for far too long join us in signing our petition, our goal is to correct both of these issues and award these surcharge dollars to the respective 911 centers based upon the billing address of the cell or prepaid services client.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />