Cedar Rapids dropping plans to charge accident fee

In a city with red-light cameras on the way and a new $500 vehicle-impoundment fee in place, City Hall's creativity with new fees still has its limits.

City officials reported at a budget meeting this week that the police and fire departments have given up on a plan to impose an “accident cost-recovery fee,” which was supposed to have raised $200,000 for the Police Department and $175,000 for the Fire Department in the current budget year.

The idea had been to charge at-fault drivers the fee to help cover the cost of police officers and firefighters who respond to accident scenes.

Police Sgt. Joe Clark said Friday that the Police Department had expected to charge an average fee of $500 per accident. The Fire Department, with more expensive equipment, was expected to charge even more.

The program, Clark said, was based on one in Florida. The Florida Legislature “threw a wrench” into plans, however, when it passed a law in July making it illegal to charge such “first-responder” fees. As a result, Cedar Rapids' city attorney recommended that Cedar Rapids forego such a fee, too.

“Program implementation would be problematic based on legal challenges” is how city budget documents put it this week.

Even so, Police Chief Greg Graham, who came to the Cedar Rapids department 18 months ago from Ocala, Fla., updated the City Council this week on his two other fee-generating ventures.

He said the city's first red-light and speed-enforcement cameras had been slated to be put in place this week, but the snowstorm delayed the work. The enforcement cameras had been expected to generate an estimated $750,000 in revenue this budget year, though nearly half the budget year is over and the cameras are not yet in place.

Graham also noted the city's program to impose a $500 vehicle-impoundment fee, which was launched two months ago, is working well. It's expected to bring in $200,000 over nine months.

In a city with red-light cameras on the way and a new $500 vehicle-impoundment fee in place, City Hall's creativity with new fees still has its limits.

City officials reported at a budget meeting this week that the police and fire departments have given up on a plan to impose an “accident cost-recovery fee,” which was supposed to have raised $200,000 for the Police Department and $175,000 for the Fire Department in the current budget year.

The idea had been to charge at-fault drivers the fee to help cover the cost of police officers and firefighters who respond to accident scenes.

Police Sgt. Joe Clark said Friday that the Police Department had expected to charge an average fee of $500 per accident. The Fire Department, with more expensive equipment, was expected to charge even more.

The program, Clark said, was based on one in Florida. The Florida Legislature “threw a wrench” into plans, however, when it passed a law in July making it illegal to charge such “first-responder” fees. As a result, Cedar Rapids' city attorney recommended that Cedar Rapids forego such a fee, too.

“Program implementation would be problematic based on legal challenges” is how city budget documents put it this week.

Even so, Police Chief Greg Graham, who came to the Cedar Rapids department 18 months ago from Ocala, Fla., updated the City Council this week on his two other fee-generating ventures.

He said the city's first red-light and speed-enforcement cameras had been slated to be put in place this week, but the snowstorm delayed the work. The enforcement cameras had been expected to generate an estimated $750,000 in revenue this budget year, though nearly half the budget year is over and the cameras are not yet in place.

Graham also noted the city's program to impose a $500 vehicle-impoundment fee, which was launched two months ago, is working well. It's expected to bring in $200,000 over nine months.In a city with red-light cameras on the way and a new $500 vehicle-impoundment fee in place, City Hall's creativity with new fees still has its limits.

City officials reported at a budget meeting this week that the police and fire departments have given up on a plan to impose an “accident cost-recovery fee,” which was supposed to have raised $200,000 for the Police Department and $175,000 for the Fire Department in the current budget year.

The idea had been to charge at-fault drivers the fee to help cover the cost of police officers and firefighters who respond to accident scenes.

Police Sgt. Joe Clark said Friday that the Police Department had expected to charge an average fee of $500 per accident. The Fire Department, with more expensive equipment, was expected to charge even more.

The program, Clark said, was based on one in Florida. The Florida Legislature “threw a wrench” into plans, however, when it passed a law in July making it illegal to charge such “first-responder” fees. As a result, Cedar Rapids' city attorney recommended that Cedar Rapids forego such a fee, too.

“Program implementation would be problematic based on legal challenges” is how city budget documents put it this week.

Even so, Police Chief Greg Graham, who came to the Cedar Rapids department 18 months ago from Ocala, Fla., updated the City Council this week on his two other fee-generating ventures.

He said the city's first red-light and speed-enforcement cameras had been slated to be put in place this week, but the snowstorm delayed the work. The enforcement cameras had been expected to generate an estimated $750,000 in revenue this budget year, though nearly half the budget year is over and the cameras are not yet in place.

Graham also noted the city's program to impose a $500 vehicle-impoundment fee, which was launched two months ago, is working well. It's expected to bring in $200,000 over nine months.