Azusa : Package of Fees Approved

The City Council has approved fees that will raise nearly $1.2 million annually for the city, allowing general-fund monies to be used for maintenance programs.

The council voted 4 to 1 last week to approve a fire-safety fee, which is expected to raise $960,00 annually, and a community-maintenance fee, expected to raise $128,000 annually. In addition, an annual landfill surcharge of $100,000 will be imposed on the Azusa Land Reclamation Co. The fees will be imposed beginning this month, Finance Director Geoff Craig said.

Each household will pay $5.76 per month for the fire-safety fee and 44 cents per month for the community maintenance fee, which will go mainly toward street repairs, Craig said.

The council also has tentatively approved a business-license tax that would generate approximately $830,000 annually. The tax would be based on a business’s gross receipts. If approved at its second reading before the Council Sept. 18, the tax, would be implemented in October, Craig said.

Mayor Eugene Moses voted against all four measures.

Craig said that for the past year the city has been seeking funds to implement newly developed master plans for the water and sewer systems and the maintenance of streets and sidewalks.