Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Billing Method topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee discusses shifting storm-drain charge from tax roll to utility bill
Summary
Members explored whether a future storm-drain charge could be billed on water/sewer statements instead of the property tax roll to improve transparency and reduce opposition; staff explained current billing processes and cited legal constraints tied to parcel-size calculations.
Committee members discussed alternatives to putting a storm-drain charge on the property tax roll, including mailing a separate bill tied to water and sewer accounts. One committee member suggested the city create a separate property-owner database to mail bills in a manner similar to utility billing to avoid the negatives some residents associate with tax-roll charges.
A staff member described the billing workflow: "We prepare the billing in our accounting system, and then we send a PDF file to a printing company," and cautioned that on legal grounds the charge may need to be based on parcel size. The staff guidance and members' questions indicated the committee wants staff to explore whether distribution and billing options could address transparency concerns and improve public acceptance.
