State and Local Government Committee advances three local bills, rejects permit-fee increase

The State and Local Government Committee met in April 2025 and moved three local measures to the calendar and rules while rejecting a bill to recalculate building‑permit fees for Union County.

House Bill 14-30, a proposal to change Union County’s building‑permit rate from a flat fee to 50 cents per square foot, failed in committee after discussion over whether the change constituted a tax increase. Chairman Powers, the bill’s sponsor, described the proposal as a local fee change: “Simply recalculates the rate of building permits from a flat fee to 50¢ per square foot for both residential and commercial. The last time they increased the permitting fee was in 02/2005.” Representative Warner asked whether the change would be considered a tax increase; Powers responded, “No. I I think taxes have to be, usually had to go vote on by the general public and put on the, put on on the ballot. This is a fee increase though for permitting fees.” Representative Warner moved to send the measure to summer study; that motion failed. The transcript records the committee later announcing that the bill “fails.” The committee…