Eric JohnsonOct 28, 20172 minNext Steps After a Fee UpdateSo you have just updated your fees and you are justifiably proud of this accomplishment. Now, what’s next? You could just rest on your...
Rick KermerSep 17, 20173 minFee Increases in Between Cost StudiesWhen I first started doing Cost Studies, cities were unlikely to know the cost of their services let alone charge what the services cost....
Scott ThorpeJul 7, 20173 minAccessory Dwelling UnitsMany of you have been wrestling with integrating the recently passed State legislation (AB 2299 and SB 1069) that requires most cities to...
Eric JohnsonJun 14, 20172 minAre Credit Card Processing Fees for You?For many years the credit card industry vigorously fought against any effort to charge a processing fee to use a credit card. Credit...
Rick KermerMay 14, 20173 minAvailable versus Billable Hours – ReduxNine years ago, I wrote the following article. Since the concepts are just as relevant today, I’m reprinting it with some editorial...
Scott ThorpeApr 16, 20174 minTwo Not-So-Scary DIF Collection RequirementsI often get asked about two Development Impact Fee “problems.” The first is the “five-year requirement” and the second is the difficulty...
Eric JohnsonMar 12, 20171 minWhat is required to set fees?It is generally understood that you need a resolution at a public hearing to set fees. But is that correct? It turns out that is not...
Scott ThorpeNov 13, 20164 minDevelopment Impact Fees for Mature CitiesA little over two years ago I got a call from Chu Thai, the Management Services Director with the City of Monterey Park. He called to...
Eric JohnsonOct 16, 20162 minCharging a Utility Encroachment PermitEvery so often I’ll hear about Edison or the Gas Company telling a City that they cannot be charged an encroachment permit to plan check...
Rick KermerSep 13, 20162 minSeeking Civil SocietyI was recently at a council meeting where, during public comments, several individuals targeted specific councilmembers with abusive...
Scott ThorpeJun 12, 20163 minPolice Level of ServicePolice management staff often discuss Levels of Service (LOS) staffing in terms of “officers per 1,000 residents.” Since it is often a...
Rick KermerApr 18, 20163 minLocal Government RevenuesIf the purpose of government is to take some of my money and pool it with some of your money in order to do something that we all benefit...
Scott ThorpeJan 17, 20164 minDevelopment Impact Fee Calculation – DemystifiedThe calculation of Development Impact Fees (DIFs) sounds very technical and it can be, but the process is not insurmountable. First off...
Rick KermerOct 20, 20152 minPrivatizing the Water Utility – IssuesA major challenge in local government finance is finding sufficient monies to pay for all the wonderful things our citizens want and/or...
Eric JohnsonSep 15, 20152 minGiving Proper Respect to Proposition 4In the world of fees in California, there are a couple of ballot measures that get all of the love. Everyone remembers Proposition 218...
Scott ThorpeAug 18, 20154 minPreparing for El NinoThe El Nino is a tropical weather pattern with consequences in the northern hemisphere. An El Nino (or more specifically the El Nino...
Rick KermerJul 12, 20152 minThe Legacy of FadsI started in local government when Planning, Programming, Budgeting (PPB) was introduced as a way to more effectively and efficiently use...
Eric JohnsonJun 23, 20151 minStormwater Management FeesWith the search for every spare drop of water due to the drought and the concurrent need to remove pollutants from stormwater, there is a...
Scott ThorpeMay 10, 20154 minIt’s all about the Lane MilesI have undertaken a great number of development impact fee studies in the Southern California area and as a result I read a lot of...
Rick KermerApr 12, 20152 minBudgetary PitfallsAs most of you are neck deep in your budget, we thought we would share some budgetary pitfalls that we have experienced over the years....