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Council updates fees, draws pushback from local publishers over newsrack charges
Summary
Council adopted a revised master fee schedule including modest increases to some recreation fees, a proposal to pass credit‑card processing costs to users, and a reinstated newsrack permit/renewal fee; local publishers and residents urged waivers arguing the recurring charge would burden thin‑margined local journalism.
Menlo Park adopted an updated master fee schedule on April 28 that staff said brings fees closer to full cost of service, creates an annual indexing process and adjusts several departmental recovery targets.
Key elements include a 5% increase for certain childcare and preschool fees, a recommended 10% gymnastics fee increase to move recovery closer to policy targets, and a proposal to pass credit‑card processing costs through to users where technology permits (a 2.5% general convenience fee where direct pass‑through is not supported). Staff recommended an annual review and indexing to Bay Area CPI or personnel cost changes.
The most contested proposal was reintroducing a newsrack permit and renewal fee. Local publishers and community members said the proposed $233 renewal fee (per unit, every two years) and a one‑time permit would impose a disproportionate burden on small local publishers. "Local journalism is already operating on extremely thin margins," said former local journalist Eleanor Raab, urging a waiver or a one‑time application fee instead of an ongoing charge. Adam Dawes of Embarkadero Media (The Almanac) said his teams perform maintenance and that recurring fees risk reducing print distribution in neighborhoods.
Council members voiced concerns about the fiscal squeeze on local media and asked staff to retain the 2021 newsrack fee waivers for now; Council ultimately adopted the overall fee schedule but retained the 2021 newsrack arrangements while staff refines the approach. Staff will implement credit‑card cost recovery where feasible and return for annual adjustments.
