San Francisco supervisors today gave initial approval to several new fees and fee hikes proposed by Mayor Gavin Newsom to help erase a projected $483 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year.
Newsom recommended the measures–estimated by the controller’s office to generate about $15.5 million in new revenue for the city–on June 1 as part of his $6.48 billion proposed budget for fiscal year 2010-11.
The board has already rejected the most controversial of the proposals, a condo-conversion fee that would have accounted for more than half of that new revenue, and a few others are still in committee, according to mayor’s budget director, Greg Wagner.
One fee approved today would increase patient care charges at city hospitals.
Under the new rate schedule, patients would pay hundreds of dollars more for daily in-patient care and surgical procedures. Costs for exams and for mental health and substance abuse services would also be higher.
Another measure would establish a fee through the Mayor’s Office of Housing, which helps first-time homebuyers and provides financing for affordable housing, of $500 to $2,000 for processing certain housing transactions.
Supervisors also voted in favor of raising the cost of an emergency medical technician certificate from $34 to $145. Biannual certification renewals would jump from $34 to $107.
Also approved were raising prices for underground parking at Golden Gate Park; setting and increasing certain Police Department permit fees; and increasing Fire Department fees for high-rise inspections and emergency medical services.
Nearly all the measures were approved unanimously by an 11-0 vote. One, an increase in street artist certificate fees, was approved 9-2, with supervisors Chris Daly and Michela Alioto-Pier voting against it.
The board approved today’s measures on a first vote. A second vote, likely in two weeks, and the mayor’s signature are needed for final passage.
