Keizer council adopts phased police fee increase, starts partial billing Sept. 1

Keizer City Council voted unanimously May 18 to adopt a phased police services fee designed to close a funding gap for the city’s police department.

City staff recommended beginning the fee on Sept. 1, 2026 with a partial residential assessment of $10.62 per door‑front and applying a business charge under an Equivalent Service Unit (ESU) model at $6.90 per ESU; the full rate — $14.34 per issue or door‑front — will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027. City Manager Adam Brown said the phased approach was “a good compromise” after discussions with the chamber and business community and after the council vetted multiple scenarios.

The council’s decision follows work by a Police Fee Task Force and a budget‑committee review that explored several models and start dates. Staff presented revenue projections for different start dates and rates; the proposal adopted by council aligns closely with the budget target while providing time for outreach and implementation steps.

Council members pressed staff on details such as how ESUs will be calculated and how the fee will appear on bills. Council President Starr asked where businesses could find their ESU and noted the need for clear communications; staff said an explanatory page and instructional materials will be posted on the city website and in billing information. City staff also agreed to prepare an in‑depth work session on ESU modeling and to return to council with data on exemptions, discounts and administrative logistics before the Jan. 1 escalation.

The resolution adopted by council directs staff to implement the September partial billing, to post information for residents and businesses, and to evaluate the impacts of the rollout with a report scheduled during the council’s work session calendar. Councilors emphasized outreach to reduce surprises for ratepayers and asked staff to schedule a review of the program late in the year prior to full implementation.