Baker City council expected to vote on public safety fee
By Joe Hathaway on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY — The Baker City council could vote to reestablish a public safety fee for residents at its meeting on Tuesday, May 14.
A public safety fee was enacted last summer by a previous council. It was suspended by the current council in November of 2023.
The new fee would be $10 per month for residential water-sewer customers, and $20 for commercial customers. This fee is meant to cover an expected shortage of around $900,000 in the city’s general fund, which supports essential services like the police and fire departments.
Councilors have approved the first two of three required readings of the fee ordinance. A third reading of the ordinance is scheduled for Tuesday’s meeting and a vote to approve the fee is expected to take place afterwards.
“I truly wish the City was not in the position to have to further burden our citizens. Unfortunately, we’re in the same financial situation as many other cities in Oregon,” said Doni Bruland, who serves on the Baker City council. “Other cities have been forced to make huge cuts including parks, laying off staff, and reducing services. I hope that Baker can beat the odds and continue to offer full services that our citizens deserve.”
Barry Murphy, City Manager of Baker City, says the public safety fee, at the $10/$20 level, would bring in about $750,000 per year.
The city is also asking voters in the upcoming May 21 election to approve a five-year property tax levy to ease the city’s financial challenges. The city says the levy would also go to support the police and fire departments. Under the levy, the tax rate would increase by $1.38 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
