Streamwood impound fee starts in April

A $500 fee for impounded vehicles will start April 1 in Streamwood and help pay for three new firefighters and two new police officers the village will hire later this year.

Trustees voted 4-2 for the controversial funding method Thursday, with Trustee William Harper leading the charge against it.

"Some people would like you to believe this is an issue of public safety. I don't believe that's the case," Harper said before casting his vote.

He argued that the fee won't change the impound process police use today, only add a further $500 to the towing and storage fees drivers charged with felonies would have to pay to contractors anyway.

As such, Harper felt the fee unfairly affects people of limited means. And he believes the amount collected may not be consistent from year to year, hurting the village's ability to keep the new employees it's going to so much trouble to add.

"This ordinance is not about safety, it's about revenue," Harper said. "This is not a good way to fund personnel."

He said his suggestion to pay for the new officers and firefighters was through a 1 percent food and beverage tax, a 4-cent property tax-rate increase and the closing of a utility tax loophole.

Harper said that though he circulated this idea among his fellow trustees, the only response he got was from Trustee Guy Patterson, who joined him in his vote against the impound fee Thursday.

Village President Billie Roth said most fees the village imposes are seen as a way to recoup costs, not add personnel, and the new impound fee shouldn't be seen any differently.

Both Village Manager Gary O'Rourke and Police Chief Alan Popp recommended against the impound fee during budget discussions last fall. Their criticisms, like Harper's, were based on the reliability of the annual income as well as the ability of the fee to survive a constitutional legal challenge.

Popp did estimate about 800 vehicles could be seized per year, which would bring in about $400,000. The new hires would cost a total of $375,000 per year.

The fee will be charged when a vehicle is involved in the commission of a crime, or if its driver is charged with driving under the influence or without a valid license, possession of weapons or drugs, drag racing or fleeing police.