Briefs

Former city official cancels free service TRENTON, N.J. - A city official here has disconnected her free alarm monitoring service, more than two years after leaving her position as chief of staff to the mayor. Gwendolyn Harris and other city employees had alarm systems installed as part of a city study to determine whether the city would offer its own monitoring service, according to the (Trenton) Times. Trenton subsequently decided not to launch that service. Harris told the Times that she forgot to have the service disconnected. Jason’s Deli signs Sonitrol HOUSTON - Jason’s Deli, a deli franchise based here, has signed an agreement with Sonitrol, which will install and monitor security systems at its locations nationwide. Jason’s Deli has more than 120 restaurants in 14 states, 44 percent of which are franchised. The agreement, which builds on a relationship that began in 2002, calls for Sonitrol to begin installing systems in the company-owned locations. Sonitrol’s National Accounts Team, based in Orlando, Fla., will work with Jason’s Deli and its franchisees to ensure consistency in system design and service structure across the company. Arkansas authorizes tax on security, monitoring services LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - In an effort to increase funding for education, Arkansas lawmakers have increased the state’s sales tax to six percent and have authorized taxes on activities that were previously not taxed, including security and alarm monitoring services. The sales tax increase took effect March 1, but the taxes on additional services will not go into effect until July 1. The Arkansas Department of Finance has estimated that these increased and additional taxes will generate $23.4 million in additional funding.