02-09-15 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 09, 2015 Councilmember Derek Dieter, Chairperson, Health & Safety Committee, reported that this Committee met this afternoon and sends this bill to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Tim Scott 711 Forest Ave South Bend 46616, Council President/Presenter & Sponsor, states that the purpose of the bill is to become revenue neutral. The idea of this bill is to increase the fine to $50 to $300 to include the research, encode enforcement, photo documentation, title search on property, clerical staff and management comes up to $290. The new proposal will make us revenue neutral to cover that cost. The idea is program progressive, the current fee is $50, and the proposal is $300. More than 3 units currently $200 we are proposing $500 for the first year and going to $350 to $750 on the second year, and $500 on the third year and thereafter to $1,000. The issue is that this is not a onetime search it requires research. Currently 930 properties in question, 26 owned by bank, 32 vacant home, 16 with nonprofit or government owned, only 38 that are registered. No fee required for those that are responsible for registering their homes. Councilman Henry Davis why is this a legislative matter? President Scott responded in order to change ordinance of $50 to make this to $300. Councilman Davis clarified his question, why use legislation to define a new cost, when we have budgeting sessions in the summer? Something that concerns me is raising fees, when tax payers pay for all of these, it's not legislative to me it's an enforcement issue. Petitioner responded even within the budget it has to been changed in the ordinance, and I agree that people are not being held accountable of this, we want to work for those who are responsible and understand the true cost of code enforcement. Councilman Varner one of the things people call us about is doing something about vacant and abandon lots? We try to... Councilman asked to hold comments to the end. Councilman Oliver Davis what data do you have that supports that raising these fees will have a positive impact? President Scott responded when you effect your pocketbook that people start to pay attention. Councilman asked have you seen it before in other cities that raised their fees and had a positive impact. President Scott it's about covering the cost within our own city. Taxpayers actual lose money every time we do a search we lose money. Councilman Oliver if this is only about cost then why was it not presented during budget season? President Scott this concept was formed after the budget, with new people placed in office. Councilman Oliver, therefore it we have other departments that want to raise their fees they can come present to us, even though we already have a balanced budget, that we don't really care about what we put for the budget. President Scott I think that this is a bylaw. The argument that I have seen what is the difference between what we are doing now from raising taxes with all these fees, so what would your response to raising fees in place of raising taxes? President it actually directs that fee or taxes towards those not being good stewards. Councilman Davis we will be in debt if we don't pass this. President Scott I haven't really looked at the budget. Davis we have already agreed to everything in terms of budget, and if we don't pass this, it doesn't really effect is what you are sharing with us. How is this not a tax? The point of questioning was how do we differentiate from other departments so we can be fair and across the board and not set a precedence across the board. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Wishing to speak to the council in favor of this bill: Rebecca Keiser- 913 Diamond Ave South Bend, IN- working on abandoned and vacant buildings for the past years. Councilman Davis you are asking that the rest of the taxpayers will be paying for the investigation because we live here. Why do citizens of South Bend have to pay because we are not charging enough? Tax payers should not to pay for those who abuse the system. Trent Spoolstra, Principal of AmeriCorps Vista- States when I started working on this initiative I found $50 to be reasonable but after the amount of time that is spent I found is a very small amount of money between the paperwork, time, inspectors that $300 would be neutral and very good tool to wake up owners of abandoned properties.