Fiscal Note
The City retains all revenues associated with the licensing of cats; the licensing of dogs, however, is regulated by State Statute and requires that the County retain a portion of all dog-licensing fees to support animal control efforts. For cat licensing, the number of licenses issued for cats has decreased over the last decade from annual averages of about 1,900 to about 1,500 licenses. In 2012, the City issued a total of 1,522 cat licenses, yielding a total of $23,420 in revenues for the City General Fund. Of the 1,522 licenses issued in 2012, all but 4 were licensed as neutered/spayed. If the proposed license fee structure were in effect for 2012, the General Fund would have realized an additional $100 ($25 additional license fee for each of four cats).
For the licensing of dogs, the City currently retains $6.25 of each license (plus a small processing fee); the remainder of the revenues are allocated to the County and State, as required by State Statute. Unlike the trends with cat licensing, the number of licenses issued for dogs has increased over the last decade, with annual licensing rates increasing from about 9,200 to about 10,500. In 2012, the City issued a total of 10,435 dog licenses yielding a total of $73,495 in revenues for the City General Fund, net of the portion allocated to the County and State. Among the dogs licensed in 2012, 661 were unneutered or unspayed. If the proposed license fee structure were in effect for 2012, the General Fund would have realized an additional $16,525.
It should be noted these projections assume no adverse impact on licensing rates for unneutered/unspayed animals, and also assume no change in the portion of fees retained by the County.
Title
Amending Sections 9.31(2) and 9.50(2) of the Madison General Ordinances to increase the fees for cat and dog licenses.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: This ordinance increases the fees for cat and dog licenses.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
1. Subsection (2) of Section 9.31 entitled "Cat License" of the Madison General Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
"(2) Every owner of a cat more than five (5) months of age on January 1 of any year, or five (5) months of age within the license year shall annually, or within thirty (30) days from the date such cat becomes five (5) months of age, at the time and in the manner provided by law, pay a cat license fee and obtain a license therefore. Effective January 1, 20092014, such cat license fee shall be fifteen dollars ($15) for each neutered male cat or spayed female cat upon presentation of evidence that the cat is neutered or spayed, and twentyforty-five dollars ($2045) for each unneutered male cat or unspayed female cat, or one-half of these amounts if the cat becomes five (5) months of age after July 1 of the license year. The cat license year shall commence on January 1 and end on the following December 31."
2. Subsection (2) entitled "Tax" of Section 9.50 entitled "Dog License Required" of the Madison General Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
"(2) Tax. Effective January 1, 20092014, the dog license tax shall be a total of fifteen dollars ($15) for a neutered male dog or spayed female dog upon presentation of evidence that the dog is neutered or spayed, and a total of twentyforty-five dollars ($2045) for an unneutered male dog or unspayed female dog, or one-half these amounts if the dog becomes five (5) months of age after July 1 of the license year. The Treasurer of the City of Madison or other authorized individual shall collect these fees."