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| The cost to build a new business or home in Laredo is going up with the proposed fee increases that will be implemented by city council. |
The increases range from clean up at the library to doubling and tripling the cost of adding sewer connections to houses.
One to note was the new $50 fee each new business will have to pay to file with the city. File for what? Any new business must file with the state and federal governments and pay those taxes. What is next in line I guess is a new business tax to come down the pike at some point.
These fee hikes, many of which may not even be noticed to the general public (except in utilities bills), could be detrimental to the city in the long run. When new businesses run cost analysis to determine where to build, many of these fee hikes will come into play.
Here are just a few of the fee hikes that will be voted on tomorrow:
building cost on housing
cabs
parking meter and lot rates
garbage pickup
swimming pool fees, including swimming lessons
health department clinic visits
birth certificate fees
death certificate fees
restaurant inspection fees
plumbing permit fees
library meeting fees
civic center rental fees
new garage sale permit fee
zoning change fees
and many more too numerous to list. Many of these fees are dramatic, especially in the building, planning, and utility divisions with fees going up thousands of dollars. They will add greatly to the cost of building in Laredo.
What you see here is a morphing of a city government that has grown beyond it's means and is now charging for the very services we taxpayers originally intended to pay for with our tax base. This shows that the city is not in as good of financial shape as some may have you believe.
Most of these fee increases will greatly affect the poor. Yes, you heard it here, local Democrats are hurting the poor.
hmmm...I was only aware of the garbage pick up fee....is there transparency in spending? I should be more aware of that...I would want to know where the money increases will be leveraged.....
ReplyDeleteThe city claims they have about an $11Million dollar shortfall. They're overall excuse for rasing fees for practically everything is "We haven't raised them in a long time" and "They're this high in other parts of the state". These fee increases should not be allowed to proceed. But almost no one goes before the council to speak up. If you can't go at least call. For an administration that is always boasting about being for jobs and growth, they are advocating policies that will stymie exactly that. Tom can you be at the city council meeting tomorrow? It'd be good if you (and others) can make it.
ReplyDeleteMaximiliano
Maximiliano
On a Happier note...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2012/09/03/opinion/frum-food-price-crisis/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
I missed city council tonight - were they all approved? I'll be picking up the newspaper tomorrow. What is the deal with our city leaders?? Thanks for posting, Tom!
ReplyDeleteThe meeting is tonight.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion is these fee increases are a direct result of the police and fire budgets consuming 66% of the city budget. That percentage is growing yearly and is unsustainable, yet nothing is done to reduce it, except raise fees.