Town Revenue Sources

Town Revenues: Taxes versus User Fees

Portsmouth is a great place to live, but our FY15 budget (7/1/14 – 6/30/15) is funded 85% by property taxes. Most other RI municipalities are at 75%, with 25% coming from fee-for-service revenues. Clearly, other revenue sources need to be explored, such as charging increased (or new) fees for certain services.We need new revenue solutions, as well as continuing the cost cutting measures already started, to keep our economic future bright.

How do user fees differ from a tax? There are two important distinctions. A fee approach provides residents an option to pay, or do without the service, while Increasing property taxes offers no option… lean times or good, you have to pay. Secondly, the cost of services are borne by the actual users, not subsidized by non-users.

This survey asks your opinion on some potential user fees under consideration.

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* 1. Faced with increasing revenue requirements to meet our future needs, which revenue source would you prefer?

Increased taxes

User fees for Town Facilities

Combination of both

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Here are some of the user fees currently under consideration. Which would you approve?

Increase User fees for Town beaches

Increased User fees for Town moorings (ours are lowest in the State by a significant margin)

Lowering the tax exemption on automobiles by $500 (we are one of the few towns that tax at 70% of value)

User fees for Ambulance services for Portsmouth residents (currently exempted). These fees are covered under/billed to standard medical insurance policies.

User fees for fire and rescue services at motor vehicle accidents. (these fees are covered under/billed tor auto insurance policies)

All of the above

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 3. What other sources of revenue should be considered?

More aggressively pursue state, federal and other Grants to support Town needs

Increase rental fees for all town athletic fields, parks and similar facilities

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 1. Faced with increasing revenue requirements to meet our future needs, which revenue source would you prefer?

Question Title

* 2. Here are some of the user fees currently under consideration. Which would you approve?

Question Title

* 3. What other sources of revenue should be considered?

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* 4. Any comments or suggestions for future surveys?