SAN CLEMENTE : Council Puts Aside Street Repair Fee

In the face of heavy opposition and a lingering threat of recall, the City Council late Wednesday unanimously postponed, at least for this fiscal year, a proposed street repair fee that would have cost most homeowners about $130 annually.

Council members instead called for a communitywide effort to find other options to pay for much-needed road repairs, and for a lobbying campaign to change state laws that keep cities from issuing street maintenance bonds.

More than 8% of the registered voters in San Clemente, or 2,122 people, had submitted written protests against the proposed fee.

It would have taken a protest by 25% of the registered voters in the community to trigger a public vote had the council approved the fee on all property owners, which would have raised $1.9 million annually for street repairs.

During Wednesday night’s lengthy hearing, property owners, especially those who own rental units, said they could not afford another new fee, given the recession and increases in other fees, including a new assessment for storm drain repairs.

“Even a few drops in the bucket are becoming a torrent of new taxes,” said Bonnie Sillert, a member of Citizens for a Better San Clemente who delivered more than 1,000 signed fee-protest forms to the council.

Citizens for a Better San Clemente is already leading a recall drive against four council members, mainly over their vote to contract for police services with the Sheriff’s Department without a public vote.

Although council members stressed the need for street repairs, they agreed to look for other funding options.

“The timing is really against us right now,” Councilman Joseph Anderson said.

In making the motion to postpone the fee proposal, Councilwoman Candace Haggard said her top concern was that it lacked relief for those with low and fixed incomes.

Councilman Tom Lorch said he believed the proposal was unfair because owners of rental properties would pay more than owners of other businesses.

Councilman Scott Diehl voted for the postponement, but said he was disappointed that the council was delaying action on such a major issue.

Mayor Truman Benedict had long opposed the fee, saying he too had concerns about its equity and timing.

City officials say extensive street repairs are needed to spur economic development and prevent dangerous conditions and costly lawsuits. The longer the city waits, the higher the cost of repairing the streets, officials said.

The city would need to spend about $2.85 million annually to fix its 120 miles of streets, officials said. Without the fee, the city can only expect about $750,000 annually for road improvements.