As part of a Cost of Services Study we are usually asked to provide the full cost of Recreation services and then make recommendations to...

Forty years ago, in 1978, California voters passed Proposition 13 by an overwhelming margin. This proposition significantly changed...

There are two different approaches to doing a Fee Study.  You can either do a comprehensive study that involves the entire organization...

This last January 16th I watched with no small amount of pride while the Chino City Council adopted an updated set of development impact...

The same person who is credited with inventing accounting, Luca Pacioli, an Italian mathematician from the 15th century, is also credited...

When the authors of Proposition 4 in 1979 were writing the ballot measure it was based on the idea that government should act more like a...

During my time as a Finance Director I was happy with hiring the best user fee consultant for the job and letting him or her do all the...

You’re going into the fiscal year with a balanced budget and no clouds on the fiscal sky. Suddenly, in July, your police chief announces...

In July I wrote about the State Legislature requiring easier paths to increasing residential Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction...

So you have just updated your fees and you are justifiably proud of this accomplishment.  Now, what’s next?  You could just rest on your...

When I first started doing Cost Studies, cities were unlikely to know the cost of their services let alone charge what the services cost....

Many of you have been wrestling with integrating the recently passed State legislation (AB 2299 and SB 1069) that requires most cities to...

For many years the credit card industry vigorously fought against any effort to charge a processing fee to use a credit card.  Credit...

Nine years ago, I wrote the following article. Since the concepts are just as relevant today, I’m reprinting it with some editorial...

I often get asked about two Development Impact Fee “problems.”  The first is the “five-year requirement” and the second is the difficulty...

It is generally understood that you need a resolution at a public hearing to set fees.  But is that correct?  It turns out that is not...

A little over two years ago I got a call from Chu Thai, the Management Services Director with the City of Monterey Park.  He called to...

Every so often I’ll hear about Edison or the Gas Company telling a City that they cannot be charged an encroachment permit to plan check...

I was recently at a council meeting where, during public comments, several individuals targeted specific councilmembers with abusive...

Police management staff often discuss Levels of Service (LOS) staffing in terms of “officers per 1,000 residents.”    Since it is often a...