Fees going up and supes' salaries could too 

Just weeks after SLO County supervisors voted to increase 2,519 county fees in anticipation of a yawning budget deficit, they’re posed to vote on boosting their own salaries.

The board introduced an ordinance that would increase each supervisor’s salary from $84,024 to $86,376, which will go to a final vote on Dec. 9. Each supervisor would receive an additional $3,505 in salaries and benefits per year that would cost the budget another $17,525 annually.

Supervisors also approved changes to most of the county’s 3,195 fees. Although some fees either decreased or did not change, 79 percent went up. Most of the new and increased fees will go into effect in July 2009. They include:

• Dog adoptions up $65, cat adoptions up $40, “other” animals up $60.
• New $10 boat fee for quagga mussel control at county parks.
• Weekend golf round at Chalk Mountain up $9.
• Annual dry storage at parks up $50.
• Land-use fees up 11 percent overall.
• Building fees up 16 percent overall.
• Clerk fee for CD with maps up $16; index download up $13.

Even with the changes, county fees will continue to account for about 11 percent of revenue.