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Spotsylvania supervisors to consider increasing some fees
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
The fine may double this year for residents who write bad checks to Spotsylvania County.
The same goes for those who are caught parking where they shouldn't--near a fire hydrant, or in handicapped parking or a fire lane.
The bad check fine would increase from $25 to $50--bringing in an estimated $17,000 in additional revenue--and the parking fine would go from $50 to $100.
"It's really designed more as a deterrent than it is for revenue," County Administrator Doug Barnes said.
Those are some of several fee increases the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors is scheduled to adopt on Tuesday. The county will have public hearings on the proposals at 6:30 p.m. in the Holbert Building, 9104 Courthouse Road.
County officials outlined the fees during budget presentations earlier this year.
Other proposed fee revisions scheduled to be approved on Tuesday include:
Increasing the youth sports registration fee from $45 to $50.
Increasing the cost of disposing of air-conditioners and refrigerators from $1 to $15.
Increasing fees for ambulance trips by up to $125. Barnes said Spotsylvania waives ambulance fees for those who can't afford them.
Many of the fees haven't been adjusted in years. The county is raising them to cover costs, Barnes said.
"It's not our desire to raise fees just to get revenue," he said. "That's not our motive."
Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402
Email: jbranscome@freelancestar.com
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PROPOSED FEES The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors will consider several fee adjustments at a meeting Tuesday. They include: Increasing the fee for bad checks written to Spotsylvania from $25 to $50. Increasing the fee for parking violations--including parking in front of a fire hydrant--from $50 to $100. Increasing the fee for throwing away refrigerators or air-conditioners from $1 to $15; and charging $10 to dispose of a propane tank weighing 20 pounds or less, which costs nothing now. Throwing away a propane tank that weighs more than 20 pounds would be $50. The county has also proposed decreasing the solid waste fee for commercial haulers from $45 per ton to $35 per ton, and increasing fees for throwing away tires, and boats, campers and hot tubs. Increasing the fees for ambulance transport from $400 to $500 for basic life support; from $500 to $600 for advanced life support; and from $675 to $800 for the second stage of advanced life support. Charges per mile would increase from $10 to $11.50. Increasing the cost of renting six community centers in the county from $40 to $50 on Mondays through Thursdays and from $50 to $60 on Fridays through Sundays, The Department of Parks and Recreation also hopes to increase the fee to rent picnic shelters from $35 to $45 and to increase the youth sports registration fee from $45 to $50. |