What? We Have to Pay the City for the "Right" to Operate an Alarm System?

I am on my soapbox today. In our alarm monitoring bill this month is a license application. We need to have a license from the City of Columbus in order to have our home alarm system. What's with this?

We paid to have our system installed twenty years ago and we pay each month to have it monitored. Now we learn that we also have to pay the City of Columbus a licensing fee of $35.00 every two years in order to be able to use it! I'm really angry. BUT, if we don't pay it, then we cannot have the alarm system. We could go to court if we don't register.

So, what's a person to do? Our taxes pay for the police and fire personnel, we pay for our alarm system, we pay a monitoring system, and now we also have to pay the city for the "right" to use it?

Argh! It's not the amount of money involved, it's the principle. I'm ticked. Especially since our mayor wants to tear down the city center mall and build a park. In light of the economy, WHY? Is this why they are now trying to collect license fees for alarm systems that have been installed for over twenty years? The lady at the bureau said that the law has been in effect since 1987. So, why is this the first we've heard of it?

I'm ticked...really ticked.

Thanks for stopping by!