Agenda - 05-01-2008-4g - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 1, 2008 Action Agenda Item No. _~~_~ SUBJECT: Approval of Fiscal Year 2008-09 County Civil Penalty, Fee and Occupancy Tax Changes DEPARTMENT: Financial Services -Budget PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Civil Penalty, Fee and Occupancy Tax INFORMATION CONTACT: Changes for Fiscal Year 2008-09 Donna Coffey, (919) 245-2151 PURPOSE: To approve proposed 2008-09 civil penalty, fee and occupancy tax changes and direct staff to begin public outreach campaigns to notify the public of the increases during May and June 2008. BACKGROUND: Counties in North Carolina have authority to recoup, through user fees, costs associated with a number of programs. Each year, staff reviews currently charged fees and penalties to determine if they are appropriate, or if they need to be updated to reflect actual costs to deliver the associated service. State statutes and other legislative mandates govern civil penalties and fees associated with departments such as the Health Department, Department of Social Services, Register of Deeds and Sheriff. At the April 17, 2008 budget work session, staff shared proposed civil penalty, fee and occupancy tax changes for fiscal year 2008-09 with Commissioners. In summary, the proposed changes include: / Animal Services -Commissioners approved the civil penalties and fees included on the attached spreadsheet on December 3, 2007 with an effective date of July 1, 2008. / Health Department -The Board of Health updates its fee schedule annually to reflect the most recent Medicaid reimbursement rates. In addition, lab fees charged reflect direct lab fee costs incurred by the Department for services performed by UNC and State labs. / Social Services -Effective January 1, 2008, state adoption laws (NCGS 48-9-101, 48-9- 104 and 48-9-109) were amended to allow licensed child placing agencies including, departments of social services, to voluntarily act as confidential intermediaries between adult adoptees, adult lineal descendants of a deceased adult adoptee, parents of adoptees under the age of 21, and birth parents. The department will charge a prepaid non-refundable fee of $300. The department will reduce or waive fees for those applicants who have verified income at 200 % of the poverty level or below.