Politics & Government

Fees to Jump in Cherokee County

After a decrease in 2009, commissioners voted Tuesday to raise some area fees.

Impact fees are on the way back in Cherokee County.

The county commissioners, who voted in 2009 to cut the fees by 90 percent due to the economy, decided Tuesday night to begin raising the fees back toward 100 percent starting this August.

The initial jump will be to 50 percent of what the impact fees were. That will be the case until August 2012 when the impact fees will return to 100 percent of what they were.

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The rate prior to the reduction was about $1,800 per house, said Jeff Watkins, community development director. Commercial fees vary widely.

“I think this is a great plan,” said Commissioner Harry Johnston. “This way it doesn’t sneak up on anybody.”

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The county needs to look at all avenues to raise revenue, said Chairman Buzz Ahrens.

During a financial presentation Tuesday night, it was projected that the general fund could drop to $1.4 million in the red come November.

CFO Janelle Funk told the commissioners that money from other funds could be used for a short period until tax bills start coming in. But that isn’t a long-term fix, she said.

The commissioners discussed whether extending the time frame of when some vendors are paid would help, 45 days instead of say10. That way the county would be able to hold on to money longer. Staff was directed to study the issue.

For 2012, the total estimated shortfall for both the general and fire district funds is estimated to be about $7 million, said County Manager Jerry Cooper.

In 2000, Cherokee became the first county in the state to impose impact fees to offset the cost of building schools, roads, sewers and other resources required by . The gist is that growth creates the need for those projects and that taxpayers shouldn’t have to bear the burden.

But as growth slowed down with the economy, so did the amount of money coming into the county.

In July 2009, the cut the impact fees by 90 percent in an attempt at drawing development, jobs and businesses to the county.


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