After eliminating vehicle stickers, Palatine might dump pet license fees next

Palatine is moving toward eliminating its annual $7 animal license fee in November, when village council members will consider the town's 2023 budget.

The council would have to formally vote to eliminate the license and fee, which officials say generates about $35,000 a year for the village.

In its place, the village is developing a one-time registration for residents who own cats and dogs.

"What we're going to be back proposing to (the council) is a pet registration, much like when you register your car for on-street overnight parking," said Village Manager Reid Ottesen.

Officials say residents will be able to fill out a registration form and even provide a chip number to track their animal, if it's been microchipped. There will be no cost, and no tags will be issued, but pet owners can be fined if their cat or dog is not registered.

The discussion of ending the pet license fee comes just days after the village formally eliminated its vehicle sticker program, saving most residents $35 per vehicle annually. Village leaders said growth in revenue from sales taxes and economic development allowed them to end the sticker program and forego the approximately $1.2 million it generated every year for village coffers.