City Councilors approved new fees for the coming year as part of the biennial budget adoption. The fee schedule covers utility rates, development fees, System Development Charges (SDCs), airport fees, parking fees, solid waste rates and more.
Utility rates will increase 3 percent for water, 2.5 percent for sewer and 7 percent for stormwater. System development charges — fees on development to pay for infrastructure needed are increasing 5 percent each for transportation, water and sewer SDCs. Development fee increases include: building 3 percent, planning 6 percent and private development engineering 3 percent.
Here is the full list of fee changes. The fee increases are part of the 2021-23 budget, which Councilors adopted unanimously.
The biennial budget of $927.7 million is a 4 percent increase over the last biennium. The $927.7 million number represents all operating revenues for the biennium (which are $395 million), as well as debt proceeds, interfund transfers, one-time grant funding and reserves from the prior fiscal year. The $395 million in projected operating revenues for the biennium is a 5 percent increase for the first year of the biennium and a 6 percent increase for the second year.
Of the $395 million of City-wide operating revenues, $124 million are in the City’s General Fund. The primary source of revenue in the General Fund is from property taxes, and about 80 percent of the General Fund pays for public safety. The General Fund is also where the Council and the Budget Committee have the most discretion for funding priorities.
Councilors approved allocating about $3 million of General Fund discretionary revenue to support implementation of their Council Goals. Addressing homelessness is a priority, with approximately 40 percent of the allocated revenues dedicated to Council’s housing goals.
The proposed 2021-23 budget is here. Past and present budget documents are found at: bendoregon.gov/budget.
This short, animated video explains more generally how the City’s budget works.
