animal protection: Fw: [petlaw] Article ... Dog Owners Receive Break In Fees <<== Riverside, CA

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Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 11:43:54 PM
Subject: [petlaw] Article ... Dog Owners Receive Break In Fees <<== Riverside, CA

http://www.pe. com/localnews/ rivcounty/ stories/PE_ News_Local_ S_supes15. 3d00086.html
Dog owners receive break in fees

10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, July 14, 2009
By JULIA GLICK
The Press-Enterprise

Riverside County supervisors increased charges for pet spay-neuter services but put on hold hikes in dog license fees Tuesday.

At the same meeting, the board supported reductions in the impact fees homebuilders pay toward parks, roads, libraries, community centers and other facilities. Supervisors could adopt those fee cuts next week.

The spay-neuter increases would go into effect in 30 days for unincorporated Riverside County. The cost of surgeries at low-cost clinics will rise from $50 to $75 for dogs and from $25 to $35 for cats.

Supervisors postponed increasing dog license fees for one year. Animal Services proposed increasing the fees for spayed and neutered dogs from $8 annually to $19. License costs for unaltered dogs would have risen from $50 to $100 a year.

"This is a bad time to be increasing basic fees," said Supervisor Bob Buster, who voted to delay the fee increase. "I don't want to see any people turning in their dogs because they can't afford to keep them."

Supervisor Jeff Stone voted against the fee delay and the higher spay-neuter charges, saying he opposed any increases.

Animal Services proposed the new fees, saying they would put the county on par with Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

The county heavily subsidizes animal adoptions and spay-neuter surgeries, and higher fees would help with those costs, said Animal Services deputy director Betsey Webster.
Several residents spoke against the fee hikes Tuesday.

"Noncompliance goes through the roof when you raise fees," said Catherine Harker, a dog owner from Woodcrest.

Harker questioned why the county would consider raising fees for pet owners but lowering fees for homebuilders.

Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to introduce a resolution to temporarily cut in half development impact fees paid by homebuilders in unincorporated areas of the county.

If supervisors adopt the measure next Tuesday, the fee cuts would take effect in August and last for one year.

Homebuilders helped county staff to craft the proposal, which is intended as an incentive to spur new home development.

New residential development would create jobs and benefit other sectors of the economy, Stone said Tuesday.

"If it doesn't work, there's little harm," said Supervisor Marion Ashley. "If it does work, the losses will be largely offset by increases in property tax."

County officials say they cannot predict how much the measure would cost the county in fees, because that depends on permit volume. County spokesman Ray Smith said the costs would likely amount to a couple of million dollars.

Some residents commented Tuesday that the fee breaks did not make sense given the current economy.

Betty Anderson, of Mira Loma, said she didn't understand why the county was struggling with its budget, fee increases and cuts to its own workers but talking about giving developers a break.

"The bottom line is that they are trying to increase their profits," said Anderson, a director on the Jurupa Community Services District board.

Reach Julia Glick at 951-368-9442 or jglick@PE.com

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