NJ city ponders billing your insurance for some 911 calls

Folks in Passaic, NJ, may need to keep their credit cards handy if they have to dial 911. The city council is considering dinging them up to $1,000 for emergency fire calls and lesser amounts for things such as car accidents. It's the latest in budget-conscious government in a cash-strapped municipality -- making citizens decide whether having their property salvaged is worth the out-of-pocket cost. Oh, Mayor Alex Blanco insists it won't come out of his constituents' pockets: Passaic is going to bill insurance companies instead. And, of course, those companies won't even think about raising rates. "It would be unethical on their part," Blanco sniffs. Unlike, you know, charging for services that citizens already pay taxes to support.