El Paso residents and businesses could soon be paying a fee to use city streets.
The El Paso City Council is set to consider a Transportation User Fee, or TUF — a monthly fee applied to both residents and businesses based on their estimated street usage — during its work session Monday, Nov. 17.
“The fee is intended to cover the service of providing and maintaining the city’s transportation system,” a document accompanying Monday’s agenda stated. “That service includes repair/maintenance of existing assets to meet the needs of residents to include resurfacing and reconstruction of streets, alleys, sidewalks, as well as signs and signals.”
The move comes as the city’s latest budget continues to underfund street maintenance by roughly $30 million, while residents are set for another round of higher property tax bills.
While the possibility of another fee is likely to garner ire among residents and businesses alike, who are already strapped with the second highest property tax rate for major cities behind Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a TUF would not be unique to El Paso.
Austin’s TUF, a monthly fee paid each month on utility bills, took effect Oct. 1. Following is a breakdown of Austin’s monthly fee structure:
Austin offers exemptions to its TUF for residents 65 or older, for those who do not own or regularly use a private motor vehicle, and for vacant properties.
A similar fee schedule in El Paso would mean that the average single-family home would pay an additional $261.60 per year for the new fee.
Details on El Paso’s possible TUF, such as a rate structure, are currently unavailable. During its meeting Monday, the City Council will hear an introduction to the proposal before launching two months of community engagement meetings.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso City Council to weigh street-use fee for residents, businesses
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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