CCRPC committee recommends 3% municipal dues increase to help match federal transportation funds

At its Oct. 5, 2022 meeting, the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee recommended that the full board approve a 3% increase in municipal dues for fiscal year 2024 to help match federal transportation funding and respond to recent inflationary pressures.

Forest Cohen, CCRPC senior business manager, told the committee staff had recommended a 3.4% increase — a proposal the packet said would raise the overall dues assessment by $8,684 — based on the Employment Cost Index used for state and local government compensation. Cohen explained municipal dues are assessed annually using the Equalized Education Grand List (EEGL) and are primarily used to match federal transportation dollars.

Committee members pressed staff on the timing and necessity of an increase given a roughly $47,000 FY22 surplus. Charlie Baker, the executive director, said the last dues increase was in FY20 and that recent increases in ACCD revenue are not guaranteed; staff said the proposed increase was intended to provide capacity and help draw down VTrans dollars coming to the region. Members expressed particular concern about the impact on smaller, rural towns; Mike O’Brien proposed, and Mike Bissonette seconded, a recommendation trimming the increase to 3%.

The motion to recommend a 3% FY24 municipal dues increase carried unanimously. The committee did not record a roll-call vote tally by name in the minutes. The committee also approved the Sept. 7 joint Executive & Finance Committee minutes with specified edits.

Next steps: the Executive Committee will forward its recommendation to the full CCRPC Board for consideration at the October board meeting.