Q Can the City keep the same fee schedule as Lee County?
Answer
While this is an option, research and benchmarking indicates that keeping the
same fee schedule is likely not a practical approach. If the City does not adjust
the fee schedule, it will not be able to cover the full cost of what it
actually takes to deliver the service. This is true whether the City provides
the service through Lee County, with its own staff, or through a public-private
partnership. If the proposed increases are not adopted, there will be a continued
financial burden on city taxpayers who are not using these services.
Extensive analysis has been done to develop a proposed fee schedule
that places Bonita Springs’ fees at a general midpoint relative to
comparable to those charged other south Florida communities. The proposed
fees are by Sanibel, Marco Island, Naples, Sarasota, and Sarasota County.