HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.l. Resolution Supporting a Fee Increase for Deputy Registrars CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: August 17, 1999
AGENDA ITEM: Resolution Supporting A Fee Increase For AGENDA SECTION:
Deputy Registrars Consent
PREPARED BY: Jeff May, Finance Director AGEN��� �� , �
ATTACHMENTS: Resolution, Explanation Letter from the APPROVED BY: ��
Minnesota Deputy Registrar's Association (M.D.R.A.)
The M.D.R.A. has asked all Deputy Registrar offices to assist them in lobbying the State in allowing
the fees collected by the offices to increase. The $3.50 transaction fee that is collected per
transaction has remained the same for many years and is putting many offices in jeopardy of closing.
The increase in fees would allow government run agencies, such as ours, to decrease the subsidy
that we currently have for our operations. The Deputy Registrar office, for the City of Rosemount, is
a service that we provide to the citizens but at a cost to them. We do not collect enough in fees to
cover our personnel and administrative costs in operating the office. This issue has been discussed
many times in the past and past City Councils have always felt it was a service that we do not want to
cut to the citizens. This fee increase will still not allow us to break even, but it could help decrease
the subsidy that we incur.
At this point, the M.D.R.A. is asking all offices to pass this resolution and they will use the resolutions
during the next legislative session to lobby for the rate increase.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Motion to adopt A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A FEE INCREASE
FOR DEPUTY REGISTRARS.
COUNCIL ACTION:
CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
DAKOTA COUNTY,MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 1999 -
� A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A FEE INCREASE
FOR DEPUTY REGISTRARS
WHEREAS,the State of Minnesota established a public/private deputy registrar system to
provide citizens convenient locations to conduct title registration services for motor vehicles and
DNR recreational vehicles; and
W�-IEREAS, the State of Minnesota in 1949 established a user service fee on motor vehicle
transactions to be retained by the deputy registrar to defray the cost of providing the local
service; and
WHEREAS, since 1983,the user service fee for motor vehicle transactions has had only one
increase of$0.25 in 1989. Since 1989, the consumer price index has increased by more than 30%
and the minimum wage has increased 41%; and,
WHEREAS,the deputy registrar administrative fee is a user fee that should fully support the
cost of providing motor vehicle transactions; and,
WHEREAS, the user service fee no longer covers the operational costs to maintain most deputy
registrar offices. Public deputy registrars must use property tax levy to subsidize this service.
Rural areas with lower volumes are in jeopardy of losing service.
NOW THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Rosemount, �
Dakota County, Minnesota, supports and recommends a user service fee increase in the year
2000 to maintain local title and registration service to the citizens of Minnesota.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Rosemount further
recommends that the legislature provides for future user service fee increases based on an
acceptable economic indicator.
ADOPTED this 17th day of August, 1999.
Cathy Busho, Mayor
ATTEST:
Susan M. Walsh, City Clerk
Minnesota
M. D. R.A.
���
Minnesota Deputy Registrar's Association
DATE: August 2, 1999
TO: City Administrator
FROM: E. L. Woulfe, Bloomington Deputy 101 ,
MDRA Board Member
RE: Fee Increase for Deputy Registrars
The primary legislative objective of the Minnesota Deputy Registrars Association(MDRA) for
the 2000 session will be to achieve approval of a fee increase for deputy registrars. The MDRA
is keenly aware that without a fee increase, many deputy registrars could close their offices and
many public deputy registrar offices will continue to be subsidized by the property tax system.
As a city with a deputy registrar, you must also be aware that the current fee of$3.50 is too low
to support most deputy offices.
In order to educate the legislature about the need for this increase, it will be helpful if we obtain
the support of as many entities as possible. For that reason, the MDRA would greatly appreciate
adoption of the enclosed resolution by your city council at your next meeting. If your board does
adopt this resolution, please send a signed copy to me in the enclosed envelope.
If you have any questions about this resolution, or the fee increase issue,please feel free to call
me at (612) 948-3925 or MDR.A's legislative consultant, Bob Renner, at(651) 228-9757.
Thank you for your assistance.
cc: Deputy Registrar
6�EC.EIVE�
AUG -4 1999
C1TY OF ROSEMOUNT