Supervisors Postpone Action on Fee Hikes

Ventura County supervisors this week postponed a decision on whether to raise fees for hundreds of services, saying they wanted to see more information on why the increases are needed.

Supervisors Frank Schillo and John Flynn, who was out of town on county business and did not attend Tuesday’s meeting, asked that discussion on the fees be delayed until Dec. 5.

The board is being asked to consider rate hikes for everything from dog licenses and grading permits to fire inspections. The fee increases average about 6% and are being proposed primarily to keep pace with increased operating costs and other expenses, officials said.

But Schillo said the county clerk’s office and the county Fire Department were the only two agencies that had made the board aware of possible fee increases during last summer’s budget session.

Schillo said the board should have been given the same notice by other agencies and departments.