Permit Fees

[daleduke17]

http://www.wandtv.com/global/story.asp?s=10463909

The City of Decatur has instituted a fence fee. What good does it do to force people to pay to put a fence on their own property?

Then, there's this line about the interior renovation fees:

The city says the renovation fee has not increased in 18 years, and is now in line with surrounding cities.

Yep....gotta keep in line with surrounding towns. God forbid someone is different.

[kiwi]

God forbid another city has found a way to increase its revenue and we aren't doing the same

edited for truth

[Rapscallion]

Many years back, an enterprising gubmint brought in a window tax.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_tax

Can still see bricked-up windows as a relic of that era.

Rapscallion

[Tanasi]

Here several years ago the county commission wanted a wheel tax on cars of $30. A big stink was raised about it and it was put to a voter referendum. The county mayor let it be known that if it didn't pass he would just raise property tax. Wheel tax passed and the next year they also raised property taxes.
Now recently they came through and reaccessed property values and property taxes significantly went up. Lots of folks are out of work or have taken pay cuts and can't afford higher taxes and were frankly indanger of loosing their home to taxes. Some enterprising citizen remember it's against state law to reassess real estate with intent to raise taxes, in other words it has to be tax neutral.
If I had to pay a fence tax by the foot, I'd go broke, just on my farm I have over a mile and that doesn't include the farm my brothers and I own.

[Boozy]

What a bizarre thing to tax. I can understand permit fees for certain structures (it costs the city to pay inspectors, after all), but for a fence? If there's no cost to society, why tax it?

[tabbyblack13]

The renovation permits I can understand. Especially if the code has changed to reflect current improvements in design and produces used. Inspectors have to be trained for the new code. The fence is one I don't see. It is expensive to buy a fence to be used in the city. Most cities have ordinances on the type of fence that can be used. Getting it professionally installed or installing it yourself takes a lot of time too.

[protege]

I too can understand renovation permits--they're a good thing. IMHO, without them, all sorts of shady work would go on. However, this fence thing? $10 to get the *right* to sink a few posts? Pardon my French, but are you fucking kidding me?

Somewhat along those lines, my borough doesn't even *permit* fences in your front yard. Seriously--there's some code which makes it illegal. What sucks, is that I don't have a back yard! Massive side yard, but because the way my house sits (it's about 10 feet from the rear property line, I don't have a back yard! So, if I had a dog, the only place I'd be able to safely let him out would be the side yard. Again, the way that's laid out, is that it's to the left of the house, then wraps around in front. Meaning, if I put a fence there, I'd get into trouble. Fucking technicalities

[Slytovhand]

<snip> If there's no cost to society, why tax it?

Because they can!