Q: How and by whose authority can the Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board attach a $4.50 storm water sewer user fee to its water bills each month? Isn’t this a situation of taxation without a vote of the people?

A: It was an elected body, the North Bend City Council, that gave the Water Board authority to collect a user fee from North Bend residents. At its second meeting in November 2006, the council unanimously adopted an ordinance to institute a sewer system user fee. It asked the Water Board to collect the fee on a monthly basis, beginning in January 2007. Storm sewer users in North Bend who don’t receive water service from the Water Board are billed by the city’s finance department.

According to North Bend Municipal Code 13.25, “The city currently does not have the resources from the general fund and the state gas tax fund to maintain the storm water system in an adequate fashion. ... It would be more efficient and more equitable to charge the cost of handling storm water to those who contribute to the storm water problem.”

The city charges single-family units a flat $4.50 charge, while multiple-family units, commercial and industrial units, improved lots and mobile home parks are charged based upon the property’s size.

Rob Schab, general manager of the Water Board, said instituting the fee is completely up to the two cities.

“We are just the billing and collection agent for wastewater and storm water sewer fees,” he said.

Water Board customers in Coos Bay do not pay a user fee because the city has never instituted such a levy.

Coos Bay Public Works and Development Director Jim Hossley said Coos Bay has not considered such a fee in the past and hasn’t talked about collecting one in the current budget cycle.

— Alexander Rich, Staff Writer