TOMS RIVER – Ocean County officials are calling on the State of New Jersey to restore accountability and transparency in how it manages the state’s 9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund, arguing that years of fund diversions have left local taxpayers covering the cost of critical emergency communication systems.
The fund, established in 2004 through a 90-cent monthly surcharge on every phone line, was originally intended to upgrade and maintain the state’s emergency response infrastructure. However, a 2013 amendment broadened how the money could be spent, allowing it to cover a range of state-level emergency operations and capital projects.
For only three of the past 21 years has Ocean County received any grant support from the fund, and its 2025 allocation was cut in half.
“County and municipal governments must follow strict rules and transparency standards when managing dedicated funds, and the State should be held to the same standard,” said Ocean County Commissioner Robert S. Arace, who is leading the county’s efforts. “Each year, about 90 percent of the money collected—roughly $120 million—is diverted into the state’s general fund.”
The Federal Communications Commission has repeatedly listed New Jersey among the worst offenders in the nation for misdirecting public safety funds. Local officials say the diversion has forced counties and towns to use property tax revenue to modernize 9-1-1 systems, a cost they believe should be covered by the state.
“Residents have paid into this fund expecting their money to strengthen lifesaving 9-1-1 services,” Arace said. “Instead, it’s been used to balance the state’s books. Ocean County is demanding those funds be used as intended—to protect the public and support the first responders who answer the call every day.”
Commissioner Frank Sadeghi, deputy director of the Board of Commissioners, said the long-standing misuse has “created inequity between the state and its counties and placed an unfair financial strain on residents.”
“When state funds are withheld or misused, the burden always falls on the local taxpayer,” added Commissioner Virginia E. Haines. “Our residents deserve to see their money reinvested into public safety right here at home.”
Commissioner Jennifier Bacchione said the diversion jeopardizes public safety: “Every day, dispatchers and first responders rely on dependable technology. When these funds are misused, it’s not just about dollars—it’s about lives.”
County leaders are urging the state to stop diverting the 9-1-1 Trust Fund and to create a fair distribution system that gives counties and municipalities direct access to the money needed to maintain emergency communications infrastructure.
“This is not simply an oversight; it is a blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars,” the Board said in a joint statement. “Every dollar collected should protect lives and strengthen emergency services. Ocean County demands accountability, transparency, and responsible allocation of these critical funds now.”
