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.
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
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?