Albany City Hall on Feb. 15, 2025. The city is preparing to collect a street maintenance tax and a gas tax to pay for local street repairs.
For much of the last few years, Albany city officials and the council have talked about raising money to rebuild or repair local streets. This afternoon they’ll get an update on moves to collect a monthly street maintenance fee and also the possibility of a local fuel tax.
The issue is on the agenda of the council’s 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, work session in the council chambers at City Hall.
Last September the council passed an ordinance calling for the street fee to be added to monthly water bills. The action authorized the city staff to propose details such as the amount of the fee and who must pay it.
The council has talked about a local gas tax as well but taken no steps to impose one. Under current state law, a local gas tax needs voter approval, but legislation pending in the Oregon legislature would allow local governments to enact a gas tax without an election.
“Staff has started work to develop a street maintenance fee and to gather information needed for a local gas tax,” a memo on the work session agenda says. The memo goes on:
“A contract with Galardi Rothstein Group was executed in November 2024. The contract includes work to develop street maintenance fee options for a fee structure, rate-setting, and financial model to evaluate different rate scenarios that will be presented to council for discussion and consideration. A contract with Consor North America, Inc., was executed in February 2025 and includes work to develop a public education campaign and conduct opinion research for a street maintenance fee and local gas tax.”
There has also been talk of a bond issue for specific street projects, but the city staff recommends against pursuing this option for now. A general obligation (or GO) bond issue would require an election and, if approved, would increase property taxes.
For now, the staff is proposing to concentrate on pursuing the street fee and a possible gas tax. (hh)
We all know repairs are extremely expensive. I hope this presentation includes how many years it will take to raise enough money to do ANY repairs at all. Come on City Council you need to look closely at the city budget and make some tough decisions on what items are a need and what are just a want! For example. You’ve recently added a few to our water bill to cover the cost for moving power lines underground in a downtown area. Yes, it’ll look nice but it’s a want not a need. The city has also spent a lot of money and staff time installing speed cameras that have yet to bring in anywhere close to what we were told. I’m curious to know how much has been spent vs brought in to date.
Haven’t seen that Pacific Power added charge to my bill …. as of yet.
I’m sure it’s coming. Shame! Because you are spot on Diane. Total want!
Wow just wow!!! How many consultants can we hire to decide how to “educate public” ha ha…then tax and spend the City’s money. Im just floored by this!!! Will they ever stop taxing ???
“A contract with Galardi Rothstein Group was executed in November 2024. The contract includes work to develop street maintenance fee options for a fee structure, rate-setting, and financial model to evaluate different rate scenarios that will be presented to council for discussion and consideration. A contract with Consor North America, Inc., was executed in February 2025 and includes work to develop a public education campaign and conduct opinion research for a street maintenance fee and local gas tax.”
Seems like the copious consultant contracts are (at least) a reflection of a serious skills gap within the City’s organization.
I don’t know what the gas tax is in Albany but I do know that buying gas in Salem is a lot less expensive than Albany. I have been told that it’s from a gas tax. Has there ever been any type of fee or tax that has been designated For the streets and it is being used for something else?
A higher water bill? Last month my water bill was $100+. Just me. Run dishwasher once a week. Washing machine 3 loads every 2 weeks. No daily showers.
The City of Albany should not charge a street maintenance fee to those businesses located on Commercial Street. That street has not had any money spent except to fill a huge pot hole that was half a tire deep right when you turn off Highway 20 like you are going to Lucky Larry’s.
So now Albany residents will pay three taxes to provide for road maintenance? Fuel tax, local gas tax and water bill attachment? What on earth?
It’s time to reevaluate our local representatives. Is there no one who will speak on behalf of Albany residents? We are not an endless source of income! Figure out how to live within your means, just like everyone else has to!!!
Hering writes, “A contract with Consor North America, Inc., was executed in February 2025 and includes work to develop a public education campaign and conduct opinion research for a street maintenance fee and local gas tax.”
In a community where the lack of proper street maintenance is clearly on daily display, the City thought it necessary to spend taxpayer dollars on a firm whose function is to “soften the ground” ahead of the inevitable User Fees being discussed/voted-on at City Council/Staff.
If the citizens are asking for better street maintenance, and if the City acknowledges that need for street maintenance, then why must the City (taxpayers of Albany) hire an expensive Public Relations effort to “convince” Albany citizens of something they’ve demanded for years with little success.
And why does the City feel that the Consor Group need to “develop a public education campaign…:to sell a street repair idea citizens are already clamoring for. An obvious question: is anybody at the City/Staff connected to the Consor group, a business doing business with several local and regional governments?
Not saying anything fishy is going on, but if Albany had any real leadership at the top (see Mayor, see City Council) why can’t those elected officials explain to citizens the City’s need for additional fees in order to maintain streets. Why do we need to pay a consulting firm to tell us what we already know to be true? Are Albany’s elected officials incapable of explaining this “need,” or is hiring a consulting firm simply a way of shifting blame when the inevitable pushback begins?
Don’t worry City Leaders. There are several consulting firms who specialize in bailing out Officials after they make a costly error in hiring other Consulting Firms to sell ideas that don’t require expensive consultation or selling. City Mothers and Fathers should just give the electorate the simple truth about street maintenance costs and then let the electorate decide.
As to the Electorate: if citizens are presented with realistic budget numbers and goals for street maintenance and the Electorate rejects Leadership’s best advice (likely to be costly) then the Electorate be damned.
Commenters better be having conversations with their councilors! If all you do is complain, it accomplishes nothing… If you try and engage with them over a cup of coffee, it can go a long way to get direct information. There is NO single solution to the problem.
I have written to my city counselors and hope they’ve read my emails. Unfortunately, in the past I’ve never even had an acknowledgment.
“,,,,A contract with Consor North America, Inc., was executed in February 2025 and includes work to develop a public education campaign and conduct opinion research for a street maintenance fee and local gas tax”
That sounds like something out of the Communist’s playbook. How about a punitive tax on studded tires, or would that offend the city employees?
This is what happens when you keep voting Democrats in office
Ray, engage, really? Is looking deep into someone’s eyes and telling them that the city is legally taking what you don’t want to give and can’t afford but it is for your own good is a flat out lie. We vote for city councilors so we have someone in the government that has our backs so we can work our butts off to feed and shelter our families. It would go a long way if the city managers did their jobs and not make the citizens of Albany suffer for all of the bad decisions the city makes. Get real and stop trying to make it our fault that we go unheard. I guess your point is that “you” want to be heard. Please stop asking we hear you loud and clear.
Interesting postings here. It’s proof people would prefer living with bad roads than have an intelligent discussion on how the fix the money problems.
Most of the money city govt receives is restricted by state law and limited in how it can be spent.
You want to fix the roads and not raise taxes? Well, pretty much the only source of money the city can spend wherever they want is Property Tax revenue. Of course that means you’d have to fire a bunch Cops and Firefighters, and shut down or sell off some parks because those operation are where the majority of Property Taxes are spent.
“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”
You need to talk to your elected representatives.
If all commentators came to council meeting tonite; to vent we can stop this. Unpaid DOGE volunteers can demand headcount reductions to shrink Albany governance since the City manager won’t.
We, as individuals, live on a budget and work within it for our households. Not the city council. It’s time they learn the difference between want and need. They won’t put these issues to a vote because they know they won’t pass and a “fee” is a much easier route to go to get their way. Time for them to shelf their pet projects and put needed maintenance a priority.