HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 04-21-2026 Item No. 13 (FY) 2026-27 Fee Schedule Update_Written CommunicationsCC 4-21-2026
#13
Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27
Fee Schedule Update
Written Communications
From:Jean Bedord
To:City Council; City Clerk; Cupertino City Manager"s Office
Subject:Agenda Item No. 13: Bingo Permit fee on FY2026-27 Fee Schedule
Date:Sunday, April 19, 2026 11:40:47 PM
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Mayor Moore, Vice-Mayor Chao, Councilmembers Fruen, Mohan and Wang,
I am requesting that the Bingo Permit fee in Schedule A be set at $50 a year,rather than the proposed $268.22
There are only two bingo permits in Cupertino: (1) the Senior Center and (2) St.Joseph’s church In both cases, the players are seniors in our community, and this isan important social activity, particularly for those with diminished physical and mentalabilities.
The fee has to be recovered by increasing the price of the bingo sheets. OurCupertino players complained bitterly about the previous increases, since many areon fixed incomes. In the past, the fee has been waived completely for the senior
center.
Other small cities set their bingo permits at more reasonable rates:
Morgan Hill fee = $50 Application https://www.morganhill.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/39267/2024-Bingo-Permit-Application
Population 44,478
Saratoga fee= $56
https://www.saratoga.ca.us/184/Fee-Schedule (search for Bingo in the PDF)
Population 29,607
These fees are collected by code enforcement, rather than parks and recreation. Thejustification for reducing the fee for seniors is on page 286 of the downloadable
packet for April 21, 2026 council meeting, specifically in Attachment J entitled - UserFee Cost Recovery Policy, Section 5.
5. Discounted Rates and Surcharges
a. Rates may be discounted to accommodate lower income groups or groupswho
are the target of the service, such as senior citizens or residents.
I would appreciate your consideration on behalf of the Cupertino Senior CenterAdvisory Council.
Warm regards,
Jean Bedord
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Process of establishing user fee cost recovery levels
The following factors will be considered when setting service fees and cost recovery levels:
1. Community-wide vs. private benefit
a. The use of general purpose revenue is appropriate for community- wide services
while user fees are appropriate for services that are of private benefit to
individuals or groups. Full cost recovery is not always appropriate.
2. Service recipient vs. service driver
a. Particularly for services associated with regulated activities ( development review,
code enforcement), from which the community eventually benefits, cost recovery
from the "driver" of the need for the service ( applicant, violator) is appropriate.
3. Consistency with City public policies and objectives
a. City policies and Council goals focused on long-term improvements to community
quality of life may also impact desired fee levels, as fees can be used to change
community behaviors, promote certain activities, or provide funding for the
pursuit of specific community goals, for example, health and safety,
environmental stewardship.
4. Impact on demand ( elasticity)
a. Pricing of services can significantly impact demand. At full cost recovery, for
example, the City is providing services for which there is a genuine market not
over- stimulated by artificially low prices. Conversely, high- cost recovery may
negatively impact lower- income groups, and this can work against public policy
outcomes, especially if the services are specifically designed to serve particular
groups.
5. Discounted Rates and Surcharges
a. Rates may be discounted to accommodate lower income groups or groups
who
are the target of the service, such as senior citizens or residents.
b. Higher rates are considered appropriate for non-residents to further reduce
general fund subsidization of services.
6. Feasibility of Collection
a. It may be impractical or too costly to establish a system to appropriately identify
and charge each user for the specific services received. The method of assessing
and collecting fees should be as simple as possible in order to reduce the
administrative cost of collection.