This seemed like a particularly photogenic pothole when I saw it on S.W. 11th Avenue last April.
Mayor Alex Johnson II provided the deciding vote Wednesday in favor of an Albany ordinance authorizing the city to collect a monthly fee for street maintenance and repairs.
The council was split 3-3, and the mayor broke the tie in favor of passing the ordinance. Council members Jackie Montague, Marilyn Smith and Ray Kopczynski also voted for it.
The opponents were Councilors Matilda Novak, Steph Newton-Azorr and Ramycia McGhee.
Adoption of the ordinance authorizes the city staff to work out the details of the fee, including how much different categories of utility customers would pay. Once the details are developed, they will be up for council approval or rejection. Everybody who talked about this seemed to think the process would take about year.
Because of a consultant’s suggestion some months ago, there has been talk among council members that the basic fee might be $16 a month per residence. The amount would be added to the city’s water, sewer, rain water and city service fees.
The future fee probably won’t raise enough money to make a big dent in Albany’s network of local streets needing repairs. So council members also talked about the possibility, later on, of asking voters to approve a local gas tax as well.
(The maintenance fee would require no election even though it’s compulsory like a tax, while a gas tax would need voter approval even though essentially it’s optional. Nobody tells you where to buy gas, or how much.)
Novak objected to sections of the ordinance, including one providing for $1,000 fines per day for violations. How one can violate a fee-authorizing ordinance was not explained.
If you want to watch the full discussion, and even if you don’t, the YouTube video of Wednesday’s council session has it all. (hh)
I haven’t owned a motor vehicle for over 25 years. I’ve done less damage to the streets in that time than ONE City employee driving to work on studded tires.
WHY do I have to pay the same residence fee as the neighbors across the street that park 6 cars over night?
My utility bill is currently $101 for ONE Unit of water per month.
Because unless you live in a bubble, you benefit from the roads. Do you have mail delivered? Packages? Pizza? If you order a new mattress or large appliance, will it be delivered to you in a truck, or will you carry it home in a wheelbarrow? If you call for police, fire, or ambulance, will they be driving to your house, or walking? Ever take a bus, taxi, uber? Just because you don’t own a car, you use the streets in a myriad of ways. Your question is as specious as the old “I don’t have kids in school so why should I pay taxes for schools?” question.
People like you praising every tax increase while ignoring mismanagement and outright theft of tax dollars.
1. The Post office can pay the fee for their use of streets. The price of a stamp is ridiculous.
2. Ditto with packages. I pay for shipping one way or the other.
3. In the 43 years I’ve lived in the SAME HOUSE, I have bought 1 used washer & dryer and 1 dishwasher.
4. EVERYBODY else is paid with fees or taxes. Why do I have to pay twice?
5. Why do I have to PAY THE SAME as someone that travels 100’s of miles on the the streets in multi ton cars, trucks etc?
6. I don’t order pizza.
And YOU call my comments SPECIOUS? You obviously have a supreme sense of entitlement.
Wow…you can use the word “specious” but get “myriad” grammatically incorrect? Who are you trying to impress?
WOW!
Fees for this, fees for that. I moved out of Albany four years ago. I’m so thankful to be living in the country. Don’t think elections matter?
There are sidewalks that need tending to, broken, heaved by tree roots, non ADA compliance, lets add a user fee. Bicycles use the streets, lets add a fee. How much money does the City spend on things that could otherwise be put into the road maintenance account.
We hear the complaint that “There isn’t enough money” but annexations are approved and more infrastructure is added? That’s like saying we have more children than we can support, lets have more.
The residents of Albany need to pay attention to the way the city officials are putting all of the responsibility of the street repair on the long time citizens of Albany instead of the newer users of the city streets. All the newer constructed homes and apartments in the past 5-10 years have greatly increased the traffic in Albany have received tax reductions to build here. Most of the newer construction is apartments which have received these tax relief benefits and are not sold to people that have to pay taxes on them as the houses do. While many of the long term residents could never afford to live in any of the new construction whether it be homes or apartments, are paying for the increased use of the streets. The city is living off the backs of the working class while the owners of these newer unaffordable dwellings are filling their pockets. The alliances that the city make is creating an economic bottle neck that does not infuse Albany with any money from local business growth. Many cities have been left high and dry after this kind of rapid growth that leave the local community behind to fend for themselves after the “big boys” take what they want and never give back. A local gas tax would be charging long term residents twice plus cost them more because many of the long term residents work in Salem or Corvallis because Albany only has low paying jobs unless you work for the government.
This new “fee” represents more than a 10% increase in our water bill that we already work really, really hard to keep as low as possible. On top of the previous $9 “fee”. Unacceptable!
I would like to see an accounting for the $6k we already pay in property taxes.
None of this money is being used to maintain our community?
I am really disappointed in the new lexicon and adoption of the new nomenclatures…instead of calling it a tax, we’ll call it a fee and can run with it as we see fit instead of having to bring it to the community for a vote.
Our hands are tied, since we need water to live. Shame on you for using a basic human necessity to generate piggy bank fund.
Take note of those who opposed this move and fire the rest the next time they come up for the vote.
I found this with a Google search: https://www.albanyoregon.gov/data/propertytax
There should be a second graph which shows what how much North Albany pays in Benton County taxes, the one cited only covers those paying taxes in Linn County. Another miscue on the part of the city for not providing up to date information
Maybe you’re not looking at the same page? There’s clearly a button for Linn County and one for Benton?
Clearly. Clearly broken. I clicked on it but doesn’t work. Just a white page.
It’s ok. I know we pay way MUCH more in Benton. LOL
Isn’t the elephant in the room the expenditure of 25 million on the waterfront area? While the rest of the city goes to hell.
City councilors figured out years ago they don’t need voters’ permission to assess fees.
So, they went on a fee spree.
It’s far too easy for the council to reach into your wallet and take money without permission. The power surge is addictive.
I wonder what “fee” will be imposed next?
Don’t know how to go about it, but perhaps the time has come for the Albany voters/tax/fee payers to pass/institute ordinances that stop allowing arbitrary fees to be assessed that have nothing to do with the service/department that are assessing and collecting the fees. Sad to suggest more government, but…
The City of Albany should have added you-build-but-pay-for-infastructure contingencies to the developer contracts of every one of the dozens of new subdivisions that have been built since the early aughts instead of giving the developers huge tax breaks to strip and develop hundreds of acres of former farm or forest land. These developers have not only profited from the millions of dollar tax breaks the City has provided over the years, they’ve profited immensely from the sky rocketing housing cost influxes and super inflation of construction labor and materials since the Great Recession. This has equated to hundreds of millions of dollars of profit gained by them while the people of Albany have received increasing fees, taxes, traffic, pollution, crime, empty promises as well and having the roads and infrastructure neglected except for the waterfront and few main arteries. What a sham we’ve been sold.
Tax breaks for residential development on hundreds of acres of former farm or forest land? What tax breaks? I’m not aware of any.
What about enterprise zones where big outfits who put in a business, and building sub-divisions is a business, don’t have to pay property taxes for 5 years, and then if there is ongoing investment still in 5 years, the enterprise zone can be renewed. The enterprise zones are usually set up between the county and the city.
Enterprise zone exemptions from the property are available only for new or expanding industries that hire a certain number of people and pay them at a specified level. Residential subdivisions don’t qualify.
I am running for Albany City Council Ward III against Marylin Smith. Assessing fees for roads we already have paid for through our property tax is unacceptable. FEES are TAXES! The cost of living is ever increasing due to the ever-increasing taxes imposed on Albany. They cannot tax Albany into prosperity. I will not raise taxes but will challenge the always growing city budget.
Good on you for running as it’s a lot more than most of us do running our jaws on this site. But this is just lazy. Hell, I’m only a casual watcher of Council meetings on their YouTube channel and I could tell you that zero of the property taxes we pay to the city go to streets. I heard they used to but that money was given to police and fire instead years ago. So you’ll no doubt have tough cuts to make and either way you’ll have people unhappy with your action or lack there of. Have fun!
Good for you. I hope you unseat Marilyn Smith.
I’m fine with the people dumb enough to actually live in Albany paying some extra to fix all those potholes. Better them paying a fee than me paying for tires.
Break taxpayer funded unions. The pension payouts are breaking every city in the country. I’m a teamster and if my union wanted a contract that was going to break my company I’d vote it down but cities can keep their union voters happy by imposing bs fees like this to make up for the fact that unions write their own tickets.
I’ll try again to get this printed. I’m going to soothe my anger at this new street fee by boycotting Albany businesses where I can. As an example, I’m not shopping or going to restaurants downtown where Albany spent the millions skimmed off the top of property taxes on gentrifying downtown for the benefit of the elites. I’m also not voting for Mayor Alex.
Don’t trust the 2 that voted no that are running for reelection. “The Mayor” is “taking one for the team” so you’ll think those two are on your side. LOOK at how they’ve voted on previous matters. They’ll change their stripes immediately upon reelection.
I think this is the 2nd time “The Mayor” has had to vote on an issue. He’s had a pretty free ride with this leftist orientated council doing his bidding.
Basically the city votes are made to improve or protect where they live, work and provide them with a lifestyle that most of us cannot afford. Our family has also declined to contribute to the gluttony of the city officials. We use our little extra money and time to help others or put towards our kiddos education. The American dream of working hard will give you respect and success seems to be replaced with whoever can take other people’s dreams away is the most successful. The progressive ideas are “win, win” not “win, lose”. We vote in officials that are there to support EVERYONE. They represent us so we can contribute to society by not committing crimes, carrying our own load and helping our loved ones and neighbors whenever we can. The city has put up every road block possible for working people to be successful living here.
Bing AI states there are approximately 20,000 houses in Albany (and 190 miles of streets).
$16/month is about 50 cents a day.
0.50 * 20,000 = $10,000 per day = $3.65 million per year.
Looking at my bill the actual water consumption charge is only 23% of the bill. The other 77% is unavoidable.
Base Water Charge of $22.66. Serwer chage of (44.50 base + 18.84 consumption) = $62.90. Storm Water charge of $16.30. City Services fee of $9.00 It’s my understanding that the sewer consumption is based on water usage in a winter month, so that is also unavoidable).
So those fees based on on consumption but just on being hooked up to the water system are $110 (and then the consumption charge was $33.50).
But if we look at the non consumption chareges of $110 and assume 20,000 houses in Albany, we arrive at an estimate of
$110 * 20,000 houses * 12 months = $26.4 million generated.
I’m sure the city has real numbers somewhere, as well as the costs to run the water / sewer system.
But back to the new fee which may generate 3.65 million (again perhaps the city council meeting has better estimates there). But what can be done with this new money?
Looking at Hasso’s post on the Washington Street repaving he reported
“In May, the city council awarded a contract to Pacific Excavation, of Eugene, to repave Washington Street from First Avenue to Pacific Boulevard, a distance of 13 and a half blocks. The company’s bid, the lowest of six, was just above $3.5 million.”
So that new revenue would cover a project of this size, that is just 13 blocks could be repaved.
Taxation without representation is unconstitutional. This was one of the main, if not THE main issue the Founding Fathers of our Country fought and risked their lives for. How quickly they forget.
Taxation without representation?? That’s why you vote in people to the council….
sf says:
September 30, 2024 at 10:45 pm
Taxation without representation?? That’s why you vote in people to the council….
Reply : Yup, bye-golly you got us on that one. We vote in people to the council so we may be taxed with no representation…How dumb is that?
When the council wants more money…they are supposed to ask us first. I don’t believe we ever intended for them to be able to level fees willy nilly.
These are hard things. Albany is a beautiful place to live. In nearly 30 years of living here, I have been amazed by how our community continues to improve. We have an excellent cadre of public servants who wrestle with difficult decisions like this.