TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing a Temporary Amnesty Program for waiving late penalties for pet licenses, authorized by the Long Beach Municipal Code Section 6.08.404, for the period from November 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Recently, the City Auditor’s Office released a Phase Two Report (Report) for the Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) Animal Care Services (ACS) Bureau. In the Report, a recommendation was made for ACS to attempt to increase licensing revenue by offering an opportunity for the public to renew their expired pet licenses from November 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018, without paying the City Council-approved Late Penalty Fee of $30. Currently, the Late Penalty Fee applies anytime a pet license becomes over 60 days past due. This change could affect as many as 13,000 pet owners who have expired licenses.
To encourage residents to make their pet licenses current in calendar year 2018, ACS is requesting approval to implement a one-time 2018 Amnesty Program (Program) for late license fees. This Program would waive the ($30) late fee for licenses paid from November 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018, if animal owners voluntarily make their pet licenses current. Providing an incentive program may also save significant ACS staff time and resources involved with ongoing mailings, door-to-door canvassing, the issuance of citations, and the collections process. A similar program was successfully conducted in 2010 and 2016, and both programs were extremely successful in renewing previously expired licenses.
ACS will announce the Program through a citywide marketing campaign along with a direct letter mailing campaign to potentially affected pet owners. The goal will be to get as many pet owners as possible in compliance with the pet licensing laws and keep them current in future years, potentially resulting in an increase of ongoing revenue for new licenses and renewals in the current and future years.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Sarah E. Green on September 10, 2018 and by Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on September 24, 2018.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on October 23, 2018, to implement the Program in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT
The potential net fiscal impact from the proposed Program is currently unknown, and will depend on actual participation. However, by implementing the proposed Program, animal owners will be incentivized to renew their licenses, which is anticipated to result in a net increase to animal licensing revenue. Although the proposed Program will waive previously assessed late fees, it is unlikely that the City would have collected a significant portion of this revenue. One-time costs associated with a citywide marketing campaign to announce the Program are estimated at $5,000 and will be supported within current resources in the General Fund (GF) in the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (PR). There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH PROVIDING FOR A TEMPORARY AMNESTY PROGRAM WAIVING LATE PENALTY FEES FOR PET LICENSES FOR THE PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 1, 2018 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2018
Respectfully Submitted,
GERARDO MOUET
DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER