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Committee backs several fee adjustments, discusses new 100% cost‑recovery policy
Summary
Staff told the Finance Committee May 20 that it will forward several user‑fee adjustments — including ambulance transport rates, a new first‑responder fee and modest rental/reservation fee increases — and recommended creation of a 100% cost‑recovery policy; staff said fee changes would generally take effect July 1.
City staff presented a package of municipal fee updates and a proposed cost‑recovery policy to the Finance Committee May 20 as part of the FY26 budget wrap‑up. Committee members signaled support for forwarding the fee changes and for a new policy direction to pursue 100% cost recovery in selected categories.
Staff said ambulance transport (ALS/BLS) fee updates are estimated to add roughly $700,000 in revenue; a separate new first‑responder fee could ultimately yield about $400,000 annually in steady state, but staff recommended conservatively recognizing $100,000 for FY26 to allow for implementation work. Amber Cameron, senior management analyst with the Fire Department, told the committee the first‑responder fee "is gonna be added on to billing that we're already, you know, sending out to our patients" and that staff planned a mid‑year review to adjust assumptions once actual collections are known.
Why it matters: Fees are one of the city’s available levers to close near‑term budget shortfalls; changes affect residents, renters, event organizers and businesses differently depending on fee type.
Staff also briefed the committee on a proposed municipal fee policy change to create a 100% cost‑recovery category. Committee members generally supported establishing the new policy category but asked staff for a phased work plan: first adopt the high‑level policy, then identify which fee categories and specific line items would move to 100% recovery and estimate fiscal impacts before implementing mid‑year or in the next budget cycle. Lauren Lai said fee changes that are non‑property related would generally be effective July 1; property‑related fees typically require about 60 days for implementation.
Other fee items discussed: Community Services Department rental and reservation fee refinements (staff estimated a $100,000 revenue increase by aligning rental/reservation fee assumptions more closely with recent use), special‑events and police special‑events fees (staff recommended clarifying titles and consolidating nonprofit and city co‑sponsorship categories), and animal control and flood‑zone determination fees (staff said the latter reflects staff time for consultations rather than a simple copy charge).
Staff said it would bring a refined fee policy back to Finance Committee with an analysis of fiscal impact and suggestions on which fee categories to reclassify as 100% cost recovery.
