Transparency vs. "Sting Everyone with Fees" to Support a Tax Increase

In this page, you'll hear City leadership (Ball/Nuckles/Richardson) discuss their decision to raise public safety fees and get rid of Shady Cove's Community Service Officer. 

 This is an 11-minute audio clip. However, SCM thinks this discussion is crucial. City Council leaders discuss options for increasing public safety fees and putting a property tax increase of $1.50 to $2.00 to the voters. (Shady Cove’s current tax rate is $0.54 per $1,000; this would raise property taxes to a total of $1.50 to $2.00). In the discussion, it was noted that residents needed to be “stung” with public safety fees, in order to understand the need to raise taxes.  

SCM understands and acknowledges the budget pressures facing the City, however this discussion is problematic in our opinion for several reasons. 

• It makes no mention of actual cash reserves which could be used to solve the shortfall. 
• It minimizes the financial impact of years of disclaimed audits, failures to reconcile books and inaccurate budgets.
• It implies that public opinion should be “manipulated” as opposed to legitimately trying to convince residents that higher fees or taxes are necessary.  

See below for Audio and Transcript