Tom Cordier

Ballot title muddies rain tax issue

Written May 2nd, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 11 responses.

Albany’s plan to impose and collect a fee for storm water management — a rain tax, as I’ve called it — is being clouded by legalistic hair-splitting. So let’s try to lay it out straight.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: Albany rain tax, Albany referendum, Tom Cordier

Initiative update: Albany accepts four

Written August 7th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 4 responses.

Albany City Clerk Mary Dibble has rejected two initiatives and acepted four others proposed by North Albany resident Tom Cordier. But Cordier plans to file an amended version bundling the four into one and dropping the idea that got the other two rejected. That idea was to repeal all existing franchise fees and privilege taxes […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany City Council, franchise fees, initiative proposals, Mary Dibble, Tom Cordier, utility taxes

Six initiatives: Cordier tries again

Written August 1st, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

Rather than going to court to salvage his rejected initiative proposal, Albany petitioner Tom Cordier is trying something else. Friday he submitted six new initiatives, all aimed at forcing the city council to seek voter approval of any utility franchise fees or “privilege” taxes. But the way I read the texts, they likely will run into […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albanyn City Council, frnchise fees, privilege tax, Tom Cordier

Albany rejects Cordier petition

Written July 30th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 11 responses.

If North Albany resident Tom Cordier wants to pursue his idea of having voters decide on various city fees and taxes, he’ll have to go to court or rewrite his initiative proposal after the city on Wednesday rejected his first draft.

Posted in: News
Tags: Albany City Council, franchise fees, Tom Cordier, utility taxes

Initiative takes aim at utility fees

Written July 23rd, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 10 responses.

Two years ago, North Albany resident Tom Cordier successfully initiated a charter amendment requiring voter approval of Albany city debt. Today he filed another initiative. This one would require voter approval of city taxes or fees on utility services and cancelling all existing ones after six months if voters don’t approve.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany initiative proposal, electric service tax, franchise fees, Tom Cordier, utility fees

Albany ups city electric tax, uh, fee

Written July 22nd, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 13 responses.

Pacific Power customers in the city of Albany have been paying 5 percent of their light bills to the city government for years, and they’ll pay 7 percent starting now. The city council Wednesday adopted an ordinance to that effect, brushing aside objections from Councilor Rich Kellum that an “emergency clause” was not justified in […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany City Council, electric franchise, electric privilege tax, Pacific Power, Tom Cordier

Albany electric tax hike delayed

Written July 9th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 11 responses.

The Albany City Council was all set to pass a $930,000 increase in electric taxes Wednesday. Five council members voted to go ahead, but Rich Kellum said no, which meant that the second and final reading of the ordinance containing the boost had to wait for another day.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany City Council, electric franchise fee, electric tax hike, Pacific Power, Tom Cordier