Columbia River PUD > News > PUD’s 2012 Franchise Fee Payments Total $529,481

PUD’s 2012 Franchise Fee Payments Total $529,481

March 2, 2012 – Five local cities received a total of $529,481 in franchise fees from Columbia River People’s Utility District (PUD) last week.

Utilities pay franchise fees to cities in exchange for permission to operate within the city limits. The fees are set by each city and are collected by the utility from customers within the city limits, as part of the monthly utility bill.

The PUD’s 2012 franchise fee payments were based on its gross revenues billed during 2011, within each city’s boundaries. The 2012 franchise fee payments were:

  • St. Helens – $328,501 (3.7% increase)
  • Scappoose – $128,735 (4.3% increase)
  • Columbia City – $49,907 (6.8% increase)
  • Rainier – $20,912 (2.5% increase)
  • Prescott – $1,426 (4.3% increase)

In addition to franchise fees, the PUD pays property taxes to the counties in which it operates. During 2011, the PUD paid $383,377 in property taxes to Columbia County and $5,343 in property taxes to Multnomah County. These payments help fund schools, police departments, fire districts and other city and county services.