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City confirms 15% parking tax on ticketed events; Ecollect handles audits and collections
Summary
City staff told the Budget & Finance Committee that a 15% parking tax applies to charged event parking, that Ecollect administers collection and audits, and that revenues flow to the general fund with no pass-through to other organizations.
City staff told the Budget & Finance Committee on Oct. 20 that Chester’s parking tax on charged event parking operates at a 15% rate and is collected and enforced by the contractor Ecollect.
The chief explained that where an event holder charges for parking, the ordinance places a 15% tax on top of that parking charge and that Ecollect is the city’s administrator for collection. “It is a 15% rate,” the chief said. Staff said collected parking taxes are remitted directly to the City of Chester general fund and are not passed through to other organizations.
Committee members asked about enforcement and oversight. Staff said Ecollect can perform audits of taxpayers, assess likely parking volumes using aerial photos from game days (the staff example given was Subaru Park), and send notices or pursue delinquencies when entities fail to file or pay. Staff said Ecollect has been “very aggressive this year” in pursuing lots that had not been paying and that it can assess back taxes and penalties if audits show unpaid amounts.
The committee asked how cash transactions are monitored; staff said Ecollect has audit authority and can use event observations and records to estimate expected revenue and to follow up as necessary. Staff said the parking tax ordinance and the 15% rate have been in place since around mid‑2015, though they recommended pulling the ordinance to confirm the exact adoption date.
