SALEM — And you thought your cell phone bill was expensive.

Oregon’s public safety agencies are seeking the green light to spend $76 million to start building a massive new statewide radio network. And that’s just for the first phase.

The Legislative Emergency Board, which meets today and Friday in Salem, will consider a request from the Oregon State Police to release the money, which would allow the agency to develop an array of microwave towers that would put all emergency responders on the same frequency.

The full Legislature in February said the agencies could borrow the money but said that officials had to prove they were choosing the best available system.

The first phase of the project will upgrade existing microwave towers in three areas: seven northwest counties including the Portland area, seven southwest counties, and a loop connecting Bend and Medford, according to an analysis by the Legislative Fiscal Office.

State Sen. Ben Westlund, D-Tumalo, who sits on the influential 17-member committee, said the price tag may seem large but the investment is prudent.

“There never seems to be a good time to make these kinds of infrastructure investments, but Oregonians expect us to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster or another event,” he said.

But Rep. George Gilman, R-Medford, whose district includes Crook County, said lawmakers will need to be prudent — especially given the swooning economy.

“Whether we have the money is a real issue,” he said. “Last E-Board, we spent so much money that we are going to have to start reining it in pretty soon.”

The panel oversees the state’s financial affairs between sessions of the full assembly.

Also on this week’s agenda, lawmakers are being asked to:

• Allow the Oregon National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program outside Bend to spend an additional $250,000 this biennium to upgrade a ventilation system and to pay for staff training.

• Increase the budget at the Department of Consumer and Business Services by $508,567 and establish five permanent, full-time positions to conduct bank audits. Since September 2007, the agency has examined 22 of the 35 state-chartered banks. Based on those audits, more regular monitoring is needed, according to an agency report.

• Adjust the budget of the Criminal Justice Commission in anticipation that police will begin reaping profits from property seizures. The money will be divided among local police teams, drug courts, prevention programs and the state. Voters reopened the door to the controversial practice when they narrowly passed Measure 53 in May.

• Steer $132,000 to help farmers cope with a grasshopper infestation in Eastern Oregon.