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Michigan City Port Authority approves 6% slip-rate increase, discusses credit-card surcharge to recoup fees
Summary
The Michigan City Port Authority voted to raise slip rental rates 6% for next season and discussed options to recover roughly $70,000–$80,000 a year in credit-card fees, including a possible 3–3.5% surcharge on card transactions or pricing adjustments for fuel and slips.
The Michigan City Port Authority on Oct. 6 approved a 6% increase in slip rental rates for the 2024 season and discussed imposing a credit-card surcharge or other pricing changes to recover rising transaction costs.
Board President Joseph Ferguson told commissioners the port is accruing “70 to $80,000 a year on having to pay credit card fees” and proposed several options to recover the expense, including adding “3, 3 and a half percent of credit card purchases” for slip rental and gasoline sales or adjusting fuel pricing. Ferguson said staff would research legal and operational details and return with recommendations.
The discussion came during the authority’s finance and budget review. Ferguson summarized current bills and rising costs across categories including utilities, environmental services, insurance and equipment upkeep. He said the board faces higher operating expenses because of recent rate increases and computer-system limitations that have delayed budget work.
Board members debated the mechanics and fairness of different approaches. One member noted that fuel…
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