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2 <br />/ Solid Waste Enterprise Fund -Effective July 1, 2008, the State of North Carolina will <br />require a $2 per ton excise tax on every ton received at the landfill (NCGS 48-9-101, 48- <br />9-104 and 48-9-109). This will result in a $2 increase to Mixed Use and Construction and <br />Demolition fees that will go directly to the state each month. <br />/ Visitors Bureau Fund -Senate Bill 622 of the 1991 session of General Assembly gave <br />Orange County the authority to levy up to a 3% room occupancy tax on the gross <br />receipts derived from the rental of accommodations in the County. The Board of County <br />Commissioners adopted resolution, on February 19, 2007, to consider a 1 % increase in <br />the tax. The increase would take the tax from its current rate of 2% to the maximum rate <br />of 3%. <br />Should the Board wish to move forward with updating the County's current fee schedule and <br />occupancy tax, staff will bring an agenda item to the May 1 regular meeting for approval of the <br />proposed fees and occupancy tax rate. This will allow departments to begin outreach <br />campaigns to notify the public during May and June. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Staff projects that the proposed fee increases will have the following <br />impacts on individual departments: <br />/ Animal Services -Additional revenue from civil penalties/fees increases estimated at <br />$1,500 for fiscal year 2008-09 <br />/ Health Department - A majority of Health Department patients fall in the zero to 20 <br />percent pay scale; therefore, staff projects revenue generated by the fee increases will <br />be minimal. <br />/ Social Services -Based on the projected cases, staff projects little, if any, additional <br />revenues. <br />/ Solid Waste Enterprise Fund -This tax is a State imposed revenue and the County <br />plans to pass the monies on to the State. Staff anticipates no additional County revenue <br />from the tax. <br />/ Visitors Bureau -Staff anticipates that. the 1 % increase in Occupancy Tax will generate <br />approximately $250,000 in fiscal year 2008-09. The Bureau plans to use the additional <br />funds to meet the demands of increased competition for tourism. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board of County Commissioners <br />discuss the proposed 2008-09 fee changes and direct staff to include the fee updates on the <br />Board's May 1, 2008 regular meeting agenda for Board approval. <br />