AYP Status of Boston Schools

November 2007

City Increases Health and Board of Appeal Fees

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Existing fees increased 50-100% and new fees established to meet costs

On October 31st, the City Council approved a recommendation from the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) to increase nine health fees, create five new fees for services and applications and increase the fee to appeal an action of the Zoning Board of Appeal. The fee changes are intended to pay a more reasonable share of the cost of services currently provided. Some of the fees have not been changed since 1981, while some services are currently provided with no fees being charged. The fee changes will go into effect on January 1, 2008.

Health Division Fee Increases–The nine existing health inspection fees that were increased were outdated and did not cover the administrative and inspection costs to process and monitor the services affected. After a review of health fee schedules in other municipalities, feeswere increased anywhere from $10 to $100. The increased permit fees are for retail bakery, day care, eating and drinking establishments, retail food establishments, frozen desserts manufacturing, sale of frozen desserts, delivery and sale of milk, temporary food servers and massage practitioners. The Health Division increase fees and new fees are expected to generate an additional $483,000 in FY08.

New Fee Increases – Five new health fees were approved for services or permitsfor which no fee was previously charged. The new fees are shown below.

Board of Appeal Fee Increase– The entry fee to appeal a refusal, decision or order of the Zoning Board of Appeal will increase from $100 to $150. The additional revenue, estimated to generate $50,000, will be used to hire three legal interns to write the Board decisions which will provide an improved and more consistent record. Previously, the Board required the filer of asuccessful appeal to write the decision within 30 days of its decision. In many cases, lawyers were hired to write the decision but filers also wrote the decisions themselves. That process often resulted in delays in the filing of decisions and periodic challenges to the accuracy of submitted decisions. Legal interns, supervised by the City’s Corporation Counsel, will prepare a more uniform opinion that can be reviewed by the filers. Thenew process should minimize delays by reducing the number of extension requests and challenges.

Boston Municipal Research Bureau 