If it seems like just yesterday that Flathead County voters rejected a funding formula to support local 911 services, you are not far off.

It was actually last November, and it lost by only 10 votes out of more than 30,000 cast. That razor-thin margin, along with the importance of the funding, has led the three local cities and the county commissioners to consider creating a special 911 district without a public referendum.

As Flathead County Administrator Mike Pence said in March, “The need is still there.”

Indeed, the need is increasing, not just because of our rising population but also because some of the original funding for the 911 dispatch center has run its course. Revenue generated through the special district would provide a stable funding source for needed capital equipment replacement and addition.

The Inter Lake supported the original ballot measure in 2014, and the need is no less great today. When the state-of-the-art dispatch center was built five years ago, county and city officials knew they would need to determine a way to sustain operational funding for the long term. The need can’t be ignored for much longer without putting the safety and well-being of all of us who live here at risk.

The county released a formula Friday that shows the potential tax for businesses and homeowners if the district is approved. Homes will be assessed a flat $25 rate and businesses will be charged from $50 up to $1,000 depending on whether they are deemed to be more or less likely to need 911 services. It may not be a perfect system, but it seems to make more sense than the previous formula, which was based on number of units of garbage produced.

The commissioners are holding a public hearing at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Flathead County Courthouse, and are expected to take action on the proposal immediately afterwards. We encourage citizen participation in this important meeting, and hope that a consensus can be reached about how to bring about the greatest good for the greatest number.