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Champaign County board debates $10 increase to recording fee to shore up GIS fund
Summary
Finance committee presented a proposal to raise the GIS portion of the deed/recording fee from $15 to $25 — increasing the total recording charge from $71 to $81 — to close a multi-year shortfall in the county's GIS fund; board members asked staff to study tiered fees and waivers and to seek civil-division and statutory guidance.
The Champaign County Board discussed a proposed $10 increase to the recording transaction fee that would raise the county's GIS portion from $15 to $25, increasing the total deed-recording charge from $71 to $81.
Finance chair Hannah Bridal presented data showing the GIS fund has been running a multi-year shortfall: reported expenses of about $420,000 against roughly $250,000 in fee revenue, producing a per-unit cost of $23.33 versus revenue per unit of $13.89 and leaving an approximate shortfall of $9.44 per transaction. Bridal said the proposed $10 increase is intended to cover that gap and create a modest cushion for future price increases.
County Clerk Sharon (addressing board members from the lectern) said the $10 adjustment would not only affect the GIS portion but would raise the entire recording fee from $71 to $81 and noted the board previously rejected a smaller notary fee increase for similar reasons. "I had some concern about this because it is a 67% increase from $15 to $25," she said, urging the board to consider smaller steps.
Board members questioned whether the fee could be tiered by transaction value, whether waivers could be provided for inheritances or low-income residents, and whether the county's payment supports are shared among consortium partners. Board member Sellard asked about tiered fees tied to sale price; Wilson suggested making the fee proportional to sale price rather than flat. Finance staff said GIS is funded by a consortium that includes the cities of Champaign and Urbana, the University of Illinois and several villages; the county's fee pays the county's membership and related services.
Several members asked the civil division to confirm whether tiered fees or waivers are legally permissible under applicable state statute. "We should ask the state's attorney so that we know whether we can do a tier or a waiver for the GIS portion only," a member said. Staff agreed to return with further legal analysis and additional detail on revenue sources and consortium contributions.
The board treated the discussion as informational; no final fee ordinance was adopted at the meeting. Finance said it would prepare follow-up materials — including clearer charts, legal guidance on fee structure and possible waiver rules — for a future meeting.
