With budgets so tight these days, cities are looking everywhere for new revenue. Sixty California cities now charge fees to drivers involved in accidents requiring a fire department response. But the backlash against Sacramento's vote last month has been particularly harsh - including calls to boycott city businesses. And in Roseville, one of the first cities in the region to charge the fee, the city council could repeal it this week. City Manager Ray Kerridge:
Kerridge: "There were expectations that it would bring in a certain amount of revenues for the city, and those revenue projections were not met - even close."
Just $40,000 in a year-and-a-half, Kerridge says, instead of the hoped-for $100,000 a year.
Kerridge: "On that basis alone, it wasn't worth continuing the experiment."
Kerridge also says it contradicted the city's message that Roseville is open for business.