South Milwaukee Blog

A variety of fees are poised to increase in 2012.

The impacted fees include the city’s recycling and hazardous waste collection charge, which will increase from $41.12 per year for single-family homeowners to $49.75. Multi-family fees will also increase.

Aldermen passed this fee increase at our Oct. 4 meetings.

One of the alderman referred to this increase as a “pass-through tax,” and that’s exactly what it is. The state, attempting to balance its own budget, cut recycling funding to local governments in 2011 – for South Milwaukee, from a budgeted amount of more than $133,000 to an actual amount of $81,456. We are anticipating 2012 funding to come in at the lower amount.

So we’re left with a more than $50,000 shortfall.

Unfortunately, to keep funding the recycling program, which the state continues to mandate, we need to charge more for the service. Thankfully, we have a fund balance in the recycling fund, and we’re tapping it. Otherwise, increases would likely be higher to keep the same level of service … and you can expect to see future increases if the state funding for this program continues at the lower rate.

It’s for out-of-our-control reasons like this that I support sensible fee increases — emphasis on the word “sensible.” I am OK with looking at occasional increases, accounting for the fact that costs go up while revenues, in many cases, continue to dwindle. Add in local levy limits imposed by the state, and it is becoming harder and harder for communities to provide the same, or nearly the same, level of services that we have come to expect (and should).

With that in mind, here are some of the fee increases recommended by the Legislation & Permits Committee at its Oct. 4 meeting:

• The fee for basic life support ambulance transportation would increase to $500 for residents and $625 for non-residents, up from $440 and $600, respectively. This brings us more in line with rates suggested by a BLS billing survey done last October by the Milwaukee County Association of Fire Chiefs.
• Fire inspection fees would also increase significantly – by 35 percent – to reflect the reduction made to property assessments. Keep in mind that fire inspections are only mandated for commercial, industrial, health care and other similar large buildings, as well as for four-family apartment buildings and up.
• A variety of immunizations would also cost more next year, as we move closer to charging the actual cost of these services vs. providing them at a loss to city residents.
• Health Department inspection fees – through the inspection consortium that also includes Cudahy and St. Francis – would also go up 5 percent on average as part of their usual biannual increase. This includes fees for restaurant licensing, swimming pools, etc.
• The cost to dispose of tires at the self-deposit station would go from $2 to $3 or $6 to $7 depending on size.
• The per-hour fee assessed by the city for cutting grass or removing weeds – usually done for nuisance properties – increases from $75 to $100.

Additionally, the South Milwaukee Police Department’s on-street parking permit would now cost $80 per trimester, up from $75. This change would go into effect on Dec. 1, 2011.

Click here to see the complete list of fee changes, which still must be approved by the full City Council. And, of course, I’m always interested in your comments. Post them below!