posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 12:40 PM
by
klehan
Newport Beach, CA, Alarm Fees May Rise
While Newport Beach, CA, has raised fees here and there over the years, the new study is the first time the city has taken a comprehensive look at how much residents should pay for what services in more than a decade, said Newport Beach City Manager Homer
Bludau.
“A lot has happened since then,” Bludau said. “Unless you really stay on top of [fees]
and look at it each year, it can easily get way behind after 10 years.”
The city’s costs to keep things running have jumped from $86 million in 2001 to $132
million in 2007, according to a study from the Newport Beach City Council finance
committee.
The study recommends Newport recover more of what it spends on police services, something Bludau doesn’t think would be a good idea.
“The police are never going to be something that comes close to paying for itself. We
don’t have police to make money,” he said.
Newport only recovers about 22% of its costs for police services, which is well below
what most other communities in California recover, according to the study.
Redlands recovers 79% of what it spends on police in fees for things like concealed
weapons permits and impounding animals.
Huntington Beach recovers 69% of its costs for police through such fees, according to the
study.
Based on the findings of the study, city officials also could look at lowering some fees,
said Councilman Keith Curry, also a member of the finance committee.
The study also recommends fees for things like security alarm applications and building
department appeal hearings.