Erlanger’s city dispatch consolidated into the Kenton County Emergency Communications Center in 2018, under Mayor Tyson Hermes, yet our residents are still paying for a service we no longer operate. We pay through what is known as a franchise fee.
Historically, this fee was imposed on utility bills to help fund city dispatch. A franchise fee allows cities to receive compensation from utility companies for access to public rights-of-way and is typically earmarked for a specific, ongoing need. (For instance, Ft. Thomas uses a franchise fee specifically to fund its street program.) In Erlanger, however, it has become a tax without a clear purpose, generating nearly $1 million annually.
For eight years as a city council member, I have raised this issue every budget season and recommended sunsetting this fee. The administration’s answer is always the same: “We can’t afford to eliminate it.”
While residents are told there is no room in the budget to lift this burden, millions are poured into new parks and major overhauls of existing parks. We are prioritizing non-essential expansions over relieving taxpayers of an outdated fee.
In 2023, the administration proposed setting the property tax rate to the compensating tax rate plus 11% under the guise of “eliminating the franchise fee.” Pursuant to KRS 132.027, proposals generating more than 4% over the compensating tax rate are subject to a citizen recall vote…a vote I, with residents’ help, was actively organizing to trigger because it was not sound fiscal planning.
Eliminating this annual revenue stream cannot happen in a single year without creating a budget deficit or spiking other taxes. Sunsetting this fee requires a realistic, long-term plan, not performative politics. Property tax rates and assessed values fluctuate annually; you cannot solve a recurring fee with a quick fix and call it fiscally conservative leadership.
Fiscal responsibility isn’t just about talking points. It means examining what we collect, where it goes, and whether residents are being fairly taxed.
The practical, common-sense path forward is for Erlanger to re-evaluate its parks spending.
To be clear, I am not advocating neglecting existing parks. We should continue routine maintenance: replacing turf when it reaches the end of its lifespan, fixing broken playground equipment, keeping facilities clean, and maintaining park beautification. Our current parks must remain well-kept and safe.
Our financial priorities must also reflect essential community needs. We must continue investing in public safety, maintaining roads, and repairing sidewalks to keep residents safe and infrastructure properly maintained.
By taking a breather on new park expansions, we can redirect our financial focus toward public safety services and infrastructure while gradually reducing the franchise fee annually until it is completely phased out.
As my term on City Council concludes at the end of December, I am bringing this issue to the public one final time. I have championed this cause for eight years, but once I step away, the torch passes to you.
Kenton County residents already pay a dedicated annual 911 fee assessed on their property tax bills. Erlanger residents are essentially paying for dispatch twice. Erlanger deserves total transparency regarding the franchise fee and a plan to phase it out.
I urge every Erlanger resident to contact current council members and every candidate seeking your vote. Ask them directly where they stand on this double tax. It’s time to stop kicking the can down the road and hold our administration accountable.
Rebecca Reckers has served on Erlanger City Council and as budget committee chair since 2019. She founded the Erlanger Small Business Task Force and has 20 years of experience in financial services and risk management. She holds an MBA from Northern Kentucky University.