Funding Safety Initiatives, Shoring Up The City’s Budget – City Operations Fee To Increase July 1, 2023
City of Salem – 06/13/23 3:00 PM
SALEM, Ore. – An increase to the City of Salem Operations Fee will take effect July 1, 2023, and will be reflected on utility bills beginning in August. The City Council passed the resolution on June 12, 2023.
Intended to help maintain and expand City services, the fee increase was included in the City’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024. Salem is one of many Oregon cities projecting a deficit in their General Fund in coming years, due to property tax limitations.
For FY 2024, $11 million in general fund reserves were needed to balance the budget.
“We’re leaving no stone unturned in our search for revenue and we’re doing everything we can to address the needs of our residents. This is an important step towards stable funding for our homelessness response and for the fire and police departments,” says Salem Mayor Chris Hoy.
This fee increase will:
- Fund and expand Salem Outreach and Livability Services (SOS) team, which works with people experiencing homelessness and surrounding neighbors, including garbage removal and sanitation and hygiene efforts
- Increase code enforcement response team
- Increase Park Ranger capacity through more staffing
- Continue downtown parking security
- Add needed staff (HR, IT, Legal, Finance) to support front-line staff
Budget priorities for 2024 include:
Responding to our sheltering crisis by siting and operating micro-shelter village communities and the Navigation Center, continuing to develop local partnership and funding support for a sobering center, transitioning more households into supportive housing, and building more permanent supportive housing.
Planning for our future by carrying the 2022 Our Salem Comprehensive Plan vision into other plans, the largest of which is the Transportation System Plan, as well as launch the riparian inventory for natural resources, further the Climate Action Plan, lower traffic speeds on neighborhood streets, advance Housing Production Strategies, and prepare a Solid Waste Policy.
Engaging our community by improving the customer experience by finishing construction at the Civic Center and Public Works, opening a one-stop-shop Customer Service Center at Salem Civic Center, developing a comprehensive engagement and communications improvement plan, reviewing the City Charter, continuing investment in Community-Engaged Policing, strengthening community resilience and supporting community preparedness efforts, expanding neighbor-to-neighbor communications, and assessing equity and delivery of Salem programs and services.
Sustaining infrastructure and services by delivering projects in the Safety and Livability Bond, exploring opportunities to lower expenses, and exploring opportunities for additional revenue to sustain and increase City services.
The base fee will be as follows as of July 1, 2023:
| Account Type | Base Charge | Monthly Fee | Cost Per Day | Rate Change |
| Commercial | Per Account | $69.55 | $2.32 | $0.88 per day |
| Industrial | Per Account | $69.55 | $2.32 | $0.88 per day |
| Institutional | Per Account | $69.55 | $2.32 | $0.88 per day |
| Public | Per Account | $69.55 | $2.32 | $0.88 per day |
| Single-Family Residential | Per Account | $14.43 | $0.48 | $0.18 per day |
| Multi-Family Residential Units | Per Unit,
Per Account |
$11.54 | $0.38 | $0.15 per day |
Low-income households with seniors ages 60+ or those living with disabilities may apply for the Utility Rate Relief Program to receive a monthly discount for wastewater services, Streetlight Fee, and City Operations Fee.
Learn more online at https://cityofsalem.net/SafeSalem2023, call 503-763-3459, or email media@cityofsalem.net.
