On May 23, I leaned the bike here to show that springtime is tough on the parks department. Grass grows faster than it can be mowed.
If you tried to follow the meetings of the City of Albany budget committee, one thing you learned is that the city intends to raise the monthly surcharge known as the “city services fee” in the 2025-27 budget period, which starts July 1.
For the last four years the fee has been $9, added to the monthly water and sewer bills the city sends out.
As near as I could understand the talk in the YouTube recording of the city budget committee meeting Tuesday, the fee will jump to $14.82 a month. (Kayla Barber-Perrotta, the deputy city manager, confirmed today that this is indeed the recommended amount.)
The budget committee includes the six council members, the mayor and seven other city residents. Everybody seemed to be on board with the increase, except possibly Councilman Michael Thomson, who voted “no” when it came to accepting the recommended budget.
Before taking effect, the increase will have to be approved by the city council. That is likely to happen in June.
According to the budget, the increased fee would raise $6,895,600 for the general fund over two years. That’s up from $4,943,502 in 2021-23. During the current biennium now drawing to a close, the fee was budgeted to raise $4,480,000, but actual numbers are not yet available.
In addition to the general fund, the services fee also supports the parks department, where the budget says it will contribute $1.7 million over two years, up from about $1 million budgeted currently.
City officials say the increase in the services fee is necessary because of inflation since the amount was set four years ago, and because of other factors such as the need to avoid having to further reduce city services.
While officials call this a “fee,” it’s actually a tax by another name. You have to pay it if you don’t want your water shut off. Other cities have similar fees, and even though this is sidestepping the constitutional limits on the property tax, the Oregon courts have upheld it.
Albany has a program allowing low-income residents to pay a smaller fee, and there was talk about this at the budget committee. But the program is run by an outside agency and requires some red tape. To get a reduction, you have to apply. (hh)
How odd is it that with growth of the City, new residents and new housing coming, that a service fee increase comes along? Why wouldn’t new growth be able to pay for this revenue hole the City is obviously trying to fill?
New growth add new revenue and new costs, but inflation is often the big contributor.
I recall the rainwater started out with a small fee now a couple hundred a year on top of the regular bill. Now another increase from what. Albany is a fee for everything. Make all those new apartment corporations pay their bringing alot more traffic…
Fees for this, fees for that. Taxes for this, taxes for that. So happy I left Albany five years ago for the country.
Wow realy.. why dont the city take a pause on the park fund… and see inflation is hurting everybody.. I think for a lot of us eating. Drinking and keeping the lights on while affording gas to go to work to be able to pay for basics is a little more important. Especialy while the economy is teetering on uncertainty.. but hell why would albany city council people realy care there suck pumps of money on the tax[fees] they impose… congratulations you got a raise.. I bet the parks stay looking the same…lol
Our water bill is already way too high! You’re “taxing” us to the point of not being able to afford utilities! I think some budget cuts would be more appropriate!! Please stop for the love of God!!!!
Hasso writes, “City officials say the increase in the services fee is necessary because of inflation since the amount was set four years ago…”
I was under the impression that the Orange God King was going to bullwhip inflation into non-existence. That said, perhaps now that the US International Court has busted the Orange God King’s unconstitutional tariffs, perhaps he can spend more time on inflation so that the Albany City Council might not have to impose this dreaded tax.
A “US International Court”. Any idea how stupid that sounds?
The problem is the SOCIALIST Mayor/City Council trying to suck you dry because that’s what you LEFTISTS do. What an idiotic attempt to point your finger exactly opposite of where you should be pointing it. Typical trick of the LEFT. BTW, repeating the same phrase over & over again like “Orange God King” shows how little you actually bring to the plate.
Yup,money grabbing pigs.meanwhile,lark street has been destroyed.no one goes to albany for dinner or recreation cuz they start tugging on your wallet the minute you get in city limits.intrapment cameras and all.then the business’ pay like they are in NYC. I guess it has to hit rock bottom before they figure it out
4 years ago the city set the rate, inflation went up over 20% since then, and now you are blaming a 4 month presidency for that inflation?!?! Deranged much?
You are a joke. You must not know how inflation works. Educate yourself before you make anymore ignorant comments.
I am so glad that the wages have kept pace with inflation. /sarcasm
What about those of us who are retired? We. NEVER see an increase in our income!
OMG… our water bill has reached catastrophic levels with all theses “fees”, and additional taxes… I have lived in the same house over 10 years… use approximately the same amount of water, but my bill is increasing and exceedingly crazy!
This has got to stop!
I propose a “GREED FLAG” be prominently displayed when this Mayor/Council is in session.
Perfect!
“City officials say the increase in the services fee is necessary because of inflation since the amount was set four years ago, and because of other factors such as the need to avoid having to further reduce city services.”…….This increase will DRIVE inflation. Any increases should be VOTED on and NEVER exceed 4 %…A 65% increase??????? Are you INSANE…… I WANT city services REDUCED. I am demanding a REDUCTION, a CUT, in the bill from the city of Albany. Not a single thing has been improved at my house since I paid $30 a month, except for remotely read water meters which eliminated many meter readers jobs, and should have given us a reduction in fees, but now it is 4 TIMES that much. Completely ABSURD. The Boston Harbor was once tea flavored, for increases without the residents approval.
Did Albany government happen to vote themselves a raise?
This is the most important part of this story, as long as you keep letting them get away with this crooked behavior, nothing will change –
“While officials call this a “fee,” it’s actually a tax by another name. You have to pay it if you don’t want your water shut off. Other cities have similar fees, and even though this is sidestepping the constitutional limits on the property tax”
Several months ago I called to see what the “FEE” was for and was told that it was for “Fire, Police and Parks”. Now this comes along right after the “Fire Police Levy” in effect was just renewed by, guess who – the voters!
Is there any interest in gathering signatures to put a city charter amendment on the ballot to require voters to approve these “taxes”? It would take about 5,000 signatures.
Yes, I think there is. It should include “Fees” otherwise it would just remain as it is
Yes, because otherwise almost all the Albany City Council members pretend not to notice that the “City Fees” are just “Taxation without Representation.” Perhaps they didn’t pay attention in Elementary school that this was one of the main reasons our Founding Fathers drew up the Constitution to protect the Citizens of the United States of America from this same former tyrannical abuse!
It’s conflictive to give contractors incentives to build housing that are not “affordable” then add fees to necessities that regular people do not have the money to pay for. The other issue is that when actual affordable housing will be built it will end up being slums with people that should be reintroduced into society rather than trapped into housing with people that are bad actors. Living in cheap housing surrounded by people that are not functioning in society is not going to be a solution to homelessness. Increasing fees will only make life harder for the working class poor or retired and push them to become homeless. Contractors should pay all costs up front and then later give them tax deductions and subsidizing for making decent housing available for lower income people. Taking money from people that have nothing is the quickest way to finish off a city. If the city wants money focus on bringing better jobs to Albany and get money from people who can afford it. Tax alcohol, cigarettes, weed, higher priced fancy vehicles and other luxury items that people don’t need to live or work. The unavoidable monopoly of public necessities allows them to do what they want regardless of our needs. It is absolutely wrong to waste money on polling to make it seem like it’s the city resident’s decision.
You should run for a city government position because everything you addressed is indeed vital to long-term residents of Albany, heck Linn County. These “fees” are indeed tax increases on utilities and Pacific Power is also increasing rates to cover for their mistakes for the wildfires that occurred a couple of years ago. Chris J for city council even better for Mayor
Hasso would you happen to know what this huge increase is going to be used for? Thank you so much.
City Services fee:
https://albanyoregon.gov/finance/city-services-fee
Don’t forget, just not long ago Hasso also did an article on a new gas tax or just an added fee for streets. What is crazy, normal everyday people do not get this large of an increase for inflation. In fact, I, personally have gone backwards social security wise since I retired. What retirees get for inflation no way covers the cost of day to day living.
The Biennial Budget for Albany is $405 MILLION dollars (~$3500 per RESIDENT per year). They can’t raise property taxes more than the 3% allowed by state law. This “fee” is an end run around the law. Albany uses the FTE (Full Time Employee) model from a “thinktank” at Portland State University, instead of looking at what ALBANY needs. What is next? A city gas tax?
Their goal is simple- ECONOMIC REMOVAL of low income homeowners so wealthier people such as Californians move in.
Pure and simple, this is “Taxation without Representation.” Something our forefathers fought and died for, so we wouldn’t have this burden placed on us without our vote anymore.
I’d love to see an itemized cost breakdown of where we are spending our money before asking for more money. If I was confident my money was going to the right spots I’d be more willing to let this slide. I have very little confidence so I am quite resistant to price hikes.
I don’t think this needs to be such an increase, we have a lot of new housing here, see what the increase in revenue would be first. Also this is becoming a town not easy for retirees to want to live in.
The lower your income, the more you pay as a percentage of your total income for this and other fees. The elderly, disabled and others with minimal incomes need relief if they are to continue to live here.
One senses a certain hesitancy amongst the Hering aficionados where this “fee” is concerned. The difficulty lies in where the spending cuts demanded by so many are supposed to be made. Do Albanians want a 10-25% reduction in current City services? Perhaps if the City Council were to seriously examine budget cuts and then publish what the cuts would mean, Albanians could have a clearer picture of what the City would be like. As we easily see from the response from Hering’s audience, folks don’t want their taxes (fees) raised. The best medicine would be to make the necessary cuts each budgetary session to reflect the shrinking services level. At some point, the Albany skinflints will grow weary of the slashing and more monies will be found.
The street sweep came down our street maybe 4 times last year and on fn garbage day. Replace them or refund us city council
Time to protest Albany!!!!! This is insanity!!!! I have to pay all these fees and I’m on a frickin well!!!!! I swear… everybody who is in control has no clue how little money we all actually have right now!!!!
My bill for Jan 1992 was $8.75 for water and $11.14 for sewer, they were billed separately back then, this was a total of $19.89 for the month. My most recent bill this year was $118.79. Draw your own conclusions.