(KNSI) – The City of St. Cloud will approve the
enterprise budget on Monday, which could include increasing the cost to park in
downtown St. Cloud.
The proposed 2020 enterprise budget is $48.5
million.
Last month, the city council gave
preliminary approval to raising the cost at parking meters from 50-cents to
75-cents an hour.
Starting April 1st, parking ramp rates
could go up 20 cents per hour bring the cost from to 80-cents to $1 per hour.
Parking permits and contract parking
will see a 10-percent increase.
The increase could be approved after a
public hearing during Monday’s meeting, which starts at 6 p.m.
The city expects to collect around
$241,000 from meters, $101,000 from surface lots, $1.1 million from ramps, and $454,000
from parking permits.
According to the city, it’s the first
time the meters have been increased since 2000.
The contract parking and permit rates
have remained the same since 2008.
St. Cloud has nearly 3,550 parking
spaces in the central business district.
The city says the additional revenue
is necessary to reduce the operating deficit.
In the last five years, the city has
spent $1,750,000 from its reserves to cover the cost.
These funds are supported by user
fees, customer charges, and special taxes that support their operations without
property tax dollars.
The enterprise budget is separate from
the city’s governmental budget.
Other proposed 2020 enterprise budget
highlights include:
Water utility – The base fee will go
from $7.50 per month to $7.75 per month. The water hookup charge rate will
increase from $2,500 to $2,650.
Wastewater utility – The sewer hookup
charge will increase from $2,500 to $2,650.
Stormwater utility – The fixed-rate
could go from $3.80 per month to $4.55 per month.
Streetlight utility – Expect a rate increase
from $2.90 per parcel per month to $3.15 per month for single-family houses.
River’s Edge Convention Center – The
proposed budget includes a 3% room rental increase.