I didn't ask you that. (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
That's your analysis. I'm asking a fundamental question.
Right. Well, it gets to the question of whether it helped create or retain jobs, because 62 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 if -- let's say in '90, when you looked at it, if we did worse than the nation as a whole, but now we do better comparatively. And part of the reason, you know, could be because of the tax reductions, and that would lead you to the conclusion that they've had some impact on improving our economy and helping --
Is that written anywhere? I mean, I've never heard that.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode for a point of information. 63 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
To word it a bit differently, I think what Mr. Dubow is saying is that the job loss has slowed since the business privilege tax cuts and that while Philadelphia is still -- persistently has an unemployment rate that is higher, that comparatively not so much that we're better than the region or the nation, but in a strange way, it's not as worse, or less worse.
Correct. 64 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
Let's stick to the region, 'cause most of the reports, when I read -- when there's ever an instance -- not, frankly speaking, not as frequent as we would like, when there's a report of job growth in the State of Pennsylvania and then they talk about the region and traditionally, the growth in the region is better than the City, and we're pretty stagnant or parallel.
Right. Let me try it a different way. I'm not saying that we're doing better than the country or better than the region, but the amount by which we're doing worse than the country and worse than the region is less than it used to be.
Less worse, yeah. 65 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
So, for example, if the national economy used to, let's say, go up 2 percent and we would go zero, we'd have no change. Now if it goes up 2 percent, we might go up 0.1 percent. So when you compare us to the rest of the country, the amount by we're doing worse than them is not as much as it used to be.
All right. In terms of the, using your term, less worse job creation --
It was actually the Councilman's, but it was a good way to phrase it.
From a category's perspective, are there any particular jobs, any particular job category where the increase, albeit minimal, is more so than any other, or is there something that stands out in 66 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 the service-related, retail-related office-related, I mean, you know, the various categories.
Right. I'd have to get back to you on that and give you detail on that.
All right. And, you know, I'm going to ask the question but I can't really ask it and expect an answer until you get back to me on the previous question. As it relates to job categories that traditionally or more often than not will have City of Philadelphia residents employed, I need to know, of those job opportunities that are created, what of those job opportunities have the highest percentage of City of Philadelphia employees?
Okay. I understand the question and we'll include that in the analysis.
And to 67 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 break it down even further, can we have demographics as it relates to race, ethnicity -- and I know I'm asking you -- they're very detailed information, but there's a reason for this, and maybe you can't even have that information.
I don't know. We'll look. If we can get that, we will, but I'm not sure that we can, but we'll see whether we can.
All right. And the reason I'm asking this question is that we've had more than a billion, and you've acknowledged --
And my concern is that on the ground, particularly in the substantial part of the district that I represent, I see no 25 evidence of any job creation. I 68 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 actually see just the opposite. And I'm -- when I'm asked to cast votes for this continued job re -- or tax-reduction programs and I see no relationship to job creation in the North Philadelphia part of my district that I represent -- in particular, that's the most hardest hit, and if anything, it's going just the opposite. The job opportunities in some neighborhoods are, you know, 40, 50, percent unemployment. I wonder, what's the point as it relates to those individuals that I represent in cutting those taxes?
You know, at some point, I mean, it either has to be a strategy that -- and I actually -- I can tell you, I actually tried to find out if there's a way that I can amend the current tax-reduction bills proposed before us to require some 69 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 local hiring, but I was told that constitutionally, I couldn't do it, but I had to figure out -- I had to try. I started to introduce it anyway just to stimulate the discussion, but what's the point? At some point, I think there needs to be in our tax-reduction program, given the fact that we've been cutting taxes for quite some time and, at the end of the day, there's been no relationship to job creation in those areas that are of most need, so I really need to --
-- from a personal perspective, before I can continue to support tax reduction, at some point it has to, you know (inaudible).
I understand the question. We'll do the analysis and get that back to the Chair. 70 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you, Madam President, and good morning, Mr. Dubow.
I apologize. Think it was on February 27th or something when there was a hearing and a specific discussion took place concerning the parking tax. I was not here for that hearing, so I may have some questions I'm going to ask you that may already have been asked so please bear with me.
Have you received any communication from the Chamber of Commerce in relationship to this proposed tax? 71 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
Their -- they oppose the increase in the tax, and they suggested that we look at other ways of increasing revenues from parking, and I don't have that letter with me.
There are a couple of proposals that have come up that we've been looking at, one of which was -- you know, one that you discussed, which was looking at lots that take cash and whether they're actually paying their taxes, so we're examining those now.
Well, if you find that there's revenue out there that we haven't been collecting, would that change any of the formula here, or 72 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 is the administration still pretty much looking to do the percent increase? 4
I think it depends 5 on what we find, so it's -- I mean, 6 it's too early for us to tell that. 7
Yeah, depending on 10 what we find. You know, we're always 11 open to talking about things. 12
Well -- 13 and I guess we're being asked to pass 14 the package here and it's at 20 percent 15 and how do we -- if we go back, would 16 we have to do some amendment or -- 17
That's right. And 18 we know we need to get all of that 19 information together before you vote on 20 it.
And in the administration's request, the $16 million that's anticipated in additional revenues for FY '09 for street repairs and planting of trees 73 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 and the Fairmount Park Commission, which gets $1 million, what happens in the out-years of that money -- I mean, that's going to be for the same dedicated purposes?
Yes, yes, for each year. We have it dedicated that way each year in the plan.
All right. I guess my other concern is that the parking tax is levied against the gross-receipts tax; is that correct?
And my understanding is that we've always talked about how to get that number down or eliminating the gross-receipts tax. Would that not have some impact? If we were to do the 9 percent increase but somehow get to a 10 point in the future, where we 11 eliminate the gross receipts, isn't 12 the revenue not going to be there? 13
No. It's not their 14 gross-receipts tax; it's a tax on their 15 receipts, but it's not the gross- 16 receipts tax -- 17
But the 18 receipts that they give you are the 19 full value of whatever the rate is. 20
Right. So they would still be paying that regardless of whether they paid a gross-receipts tax separately.
Are they paying a double tax then? You're today 75 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 paying on the gross receipts --
Have you looked at any of the impacts that this may have on tourism and entertainment, people coming into the City? Has there been any studies about that?
There -- I mean, we've looked at kind of a broad brush what the numbers are because, you know, there have been increases in rates before. We don't think it would have that dramatic an impact because in terms of actual, you know, dollars per time you're parking, it's not -- it's not that big a difference. In other words, if you were paying, you know, $20 now, your rate may go up to 21.
At percent... My math must be off then. 20 percent of 20 would be a $4 increase, no?
Well -- but you now 7 add $3 if you're 15 percent of 20, and 8 you'd go to 20 percent so you'd get 4. 9
Okay. And 10 you say that you don't think there will 11 be that much of an impact on -- 12
-- tourism 14 and people coming to visit the City? 15
Do you 17 have any idea what that number would 18 be? 19
I just -- I don't 20 think -- no, we didn't anything. We didn't do a full-blown study. But, you know, going from $20 to $21 didn't seem like it would really dissuade tourists.
I don't have any other questions at this time, 77 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 madam President. Thank you.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
With respect to the parking, I think, when we looked at the total revenue assumption, there was basically no assumption that there would be a decrease in the numbers that were put forth in the budget. In other words, if you look at FY '08, the FY '09 numbers are the same, plus $16 million, which implies that there's going to be absolutely no 17 reduction in parking because of increased costs, which I think any economist would tell you is probably unrealistic. Some people are going to change their behavior.
Maybe. Although, again, I don't think it has that big an impact on each parking -- you know, each parking bill, so I'm not sure that 78 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 it would have that kind of impact that you're talking about.
The -- there is a study done by Pittsburgh when they increased their parking tax that shows dramatic drop-offs. Now, they went to a higher tax --
That's correct. But I just -- I think -- you know, I do think that there will be a drop-off, and that ought to be taken into account. And it's not the question of the drop-off in terms of revenue from the parking tax that concerns me; it's all of the ancillary taxes that people -- that we get when people come into town and when they stay here for a weekend and they park their car or they come in for dinner and a play, et cetera, et cetera. It's the impact on all of the taxes, not just the parking 79 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 tax that I think has some people on Council concerned.
Yeah. I guess I would share that concern if the increase were larger and had a bigger impact on bills, but it doesn't -- you know, we don't see because of the size of the increase.
Do you know what the cost of the average parking bill is?
I think it's around is around where they come in. 15 That's a full day. And it gets up 16 there pretty quickly. 17
Thank 19 you. 20 Any other questions? (No further questions.)
We 80 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 will now hear from the -- yes, Councilman Clarke?
In reference to testimony about the -- by the Revenue Commissioner.
Are you finished? Councilman Clarke, any other questions?
Not really. (Addressing Mr. Dubow.) I'll talk to you later. It's a couple of other things I wanted to talk to you about, but go ahead, go ahead.
Okay, the Revenue Department, please. (Witnesses come forward.)
81 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good morning President Verna and members of City Council. I am Keith Richardson, Revenue Commissioner. With me today are James Haley to my left, Deputy Revenue Commissioner; and to my right, Marlene Duley, Deputy Revenue Commissioner for the Water Bureau. We are pleased to be here with you today to discuss the proposed FY '09 operating budget for the Department of Revenue. The mission of the Department of Revenue is to maximize the collection of all revenue due to the City and tax revenue due to the School District of Philadelphia. The 82 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 Department attempts to achieve this goal in a prompt and courteous manner, while providing efficient delivery for customer service that inspires public confidence in the City's integrity and fairness. The employees and managers of the Department of Revenue take this mission very seriously and understand the responsibility that we have for providing the financial resources needed by the rest of City government. Our success impacts on the City's ability to fund the services and programs provided by other departments to enhance public safety, provide the best educational opportunities to the students of our school systems, and create maintain healthy and sustainable communities in all of the City's neighborhoods for all citizens. We would also strive to live by the Athenian Creed to demonstrate the highest standards for ethics, with 83 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 accountability. As commissioner, I look forward to the challenge of maximizing revenues while developing quality customer service to all. General Fund highlights: The Fiscal Year '09 General Fund appropriation request for the Department of Revenue is $17,197,437. The decrease of $225,000 from Fiscal Year '08's estimated obligations of 17,422,437 is achieved primarily through the elimination of a one-time amendment to a professional services contract. The Department is requesting $12,826,474 in Class 100 personnel services to fund full-time and two part-time positions, 3,718,014 for Class 200 purchase of services, and 652,949 in Class 300 and 400 for material, supplies, and equipment. The Department is also requesting 2 million in Class 200 for collection agency payments. The 84 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 collection agency contracts are paid on a contingency-fee basis, and these funds are expended only after collections have been received. The Water Fund. The Fiscal 2009 Water Fund appropriation request for the Water Department is $22,202,074. This is an increase of $2,751,444 from Fiscal Year '08 estimated obligations. 1 million for Fiscal 2008 estimated obligations. This funding will enable us to fill as many as 50 current vacancies and reaching staff levels of 260 full-time and 3 part-time positions in Fiscal Year 2009. The Department is also requesting $10,071,700 in Class 200, an increase of $1,866, 750 over Fiscal Year '08 estimated obligations. The increase is due to primarily 85 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 additional costs associated with enhancements to the new water billing system such as design of a more customer-friendly bill, programming costs, implementing interactive voice response applications to the Water Revenue Bureau's automated call distribution system, and a (indiscernible) increase expected to occur in May 2008. We're requesting $1,251,300 in Class 300 and 400 materials, supplies, and equipment. This is a decrease of $276,800 from Fiscal Year '08's estimated obligations due to decreased requirements for computer and office equipment. How do we measure our progress? The Department is in the process of developing customer service standards.
We will review what our counterparts in other major cities in the mid-Atlantic region and surrounding states are using as well 86 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 as communicate with colleagues from the Federation of Tax Administrators and Northeastern State Tax Officials Association to analyze their standards for customer services and best practices. We will establish a focus group comprised of citizens of the City who use our varied services in the concourse level of the Municipal Services Building. In the meantime, the Department has identified customer service performance measurements that will improve to attain our goals. We will see modest improvement in our response rate on incoming calls. In Fiscal Year 2009, on the tax services side, the response rate is expected to improve from 55 percent of calls to 56 percent of calls; and for the Water Revenue Bureau, response rates are expected to improve from 63 to 65 percent of calls. Once we are able to 87 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 achieve and maintain full staffing levels, we expect response rates to see more dramatic improvement. We will reduce the average wait time for walk-in customers at our points of self-service locations. On the taxpayer services side, we project wait times for walk-in customers to be reduced by percent, from 33 minutes 11 average in Fiscal Year '08 to 25 12 minutes on average in Fiscal Year 13 2009. For the Water Revenue Bureau, a 14 reduction of 48 percent, from 12 15 minutes and 15 seconds, to 6 minutes 16 and 26 seconds. 17 What must be done to achieve 18 service improvement? The Department 19 has identified a number of things it 20 will do to improve service for the 21 citizens of Philadelphia and those who 22 do business in the City. Most of 23 these are things that the Department, 24 no matter how dedicated and hardworking, the staff cannot achieve 88 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 in isolation. Therefore, we will be seeking the support of other City departments and professional colleagues to further develop and implement these initiatives. These initiatives include: partnering with the Personnel Department to increase the number of customer-service agents in the Department's contact areas by 12 percent from a total of 125 currently 13 to 145 in Fiscal Year 2009. Funding 14 this initiative is included in the 15 proposed General and Water Fund 16 budgets for Fiscal Year 2009. Implementing interactive voice technology and the call centers of both the Tax and Water Revenue Bureaus and coordination with the Mayor's Office of Information Services. The Water Revenue Bureau will implement application for account balances with a new billing system that went live on January 2, 2008, while taxpayer 89 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 services will implement application for real-estate tax balances during calendar year 2008. These IVR applications will reduce the number of callers who need to talk with customer service agents and, as a result, reduce the wait time for callers. We will explore evaluating additional IVR applications incrementally in later fiscal years. Fully realizing the benefits of the newly implemented water bill 14 system. The system automates several processes that previously were entirely or largely manual. It also provides for the retention of more customer data for longer periods of time. This will increase (indiscernible) the ability to staff to provide service for customers who have concerns about their bills. The new billing system will support increased customer service online and on telephone and will support 90 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 integration with other e-business applications. Many of these enhancements will be implemented during calendar year 2008. Working with the E-government Steering Committee to increase electronic payment options.
This includes continuing the increase in credit card payments, implementing e-check payments, increasing the use of automated clearinghouse payments by businesses and exploring the provision of payment kiosks in areas outside of Center City. These online options, in addition to credit card payment options, would allow customers to increase uses of the Department's website and divert more customer traffic from in line to online. Increase of the use of the Department's website by taxpayers and Water customers. The Department's website provides information on all taxes that the City and School 91 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 District levy as well as tax forms that be downloaded and Water and real estate tax balances. There were -- over 5 million visits to the Revenue websites were made in 2007, reducing the number of in-person and telephone contacts handled by Revenue's customer service agents. Educating our customers and our taxpayers about information and electronic payments methods that are available via the Internet about pay-by-phone opportunities and about payment kiosks that are available in the concourse of the Municipal Services Building. Building upon relationships with tax practitioners in our market to assist us in championing our technology and services. In summary, I am pleased and honored to present my first budget request at City Council. This request, if approved, will help the 92 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 Department of Revenue achieve its mission of maximizing the collection of all revenue due to the City while also maximizing customer service. This concludes my testimony.
Thank you, Commissioner, and, again, welcome. You are requesting 271 full-time General Fund positions for FY '09, which is exactly the same as you budgeted for FY '08; is that correct?
Can you tell us how many of these employees actually are directly involved in the collection of revenues?
All of those pretty much employees are within the stream of collecting revenue. The majority of the positions are customer= service positions, which would be working down in the taxpayer services area. 93 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
So how many actually do -- are involved in the collection department?
Total number, I guess, right now is -- I mean, technically, everybody who works for the department is going to collect revenues. Clerical positions aren't doing that but they are assisting us with -- you know, seeking our mission of collecting the revenues for the City and the School District.
If you were given additional positions, would you be able to generate additional revenues?
Can you tell us what additional personnel you would need and the additional revenues that you might generate?
Again, with the positions that we're seeking to fill for next fiscal year, they would 94 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 be on the taxpayer services side, hopefully within the audit side as well. Again, my goal is to try to collect above and beyond what we've collected thus far this year. Again, I need to sit down and continue with the relationships with the Law Department to move forward. I don't want to quote a direct amount we would collect without sitting down with our Law Department to come up with a good number.
Yeah. I think you're talking about vacant positions that you presently have.
I don't know how many they are. For the record, if you would tell us how many vacant positions you have, and my question is actually: How many more positions would you need above the 271?
I can't 95 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 quantify that for you right now, Council President; we're in the middle of putting the plan together to figure out what we will need down the road. I think, right off the top of my head, I could tell you we probably need some more audit staff because right now, our audit staff has been depleted with the Drop Program with retirements. That would help us out with -- to have the ability to go out and make more assessments on businesses within the City limits and businesses outside of the City that we could possibly do audits on.
So, again, Commissioner, I'm asking: How many vacancies do you have?
The vacancies right now that we have are twenty vacancies.
That's a lot. Would you please explain the 96 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 process that occurs once a taxpayer's account becomes delinquent?
For taxes, on business taxes, when a person first goes delinquent --
I'm sorry. You're going to have to identify yourself for the record.
Oh. James Haley, Deputy Revenue Commissioner. For a delinquent business taxpayer, the Department of Revenue does an initial billing. If that goes unpaid, roughly 90 days. If it's a smaller amount, right now below -- $500 and below, it will go to a collection agency. For $500 and above, that stages to the Law Department for their enforcement.
We apparently haven't been too successful. The City Controller just released his report on the review of delinquent water and sewer accounts, 97 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 which amounted to $161 million. Out of that amount, 117 million, which represents 62,000 customers, have been delinquent for more than three monthly billing cycles. Can you explain what measures you are taking to collect these funds?
I'm Marlene Duley, Deputy Water Revenue Commissioner. Basically what happens now is, the enforcement tools that are available in the Water Revenue Bureau is the enforcement tool of shutoff, and the enforcement tools that are used through the use of the Law Department in litigation. Presently now, if an account is -- becomes delinquent, past due, beyond 30 days, we serve them due process. And from that due process, residential accounts receive two notices, commercial accounts receive 98 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 one notice, and then they are subject to termination of service. As you are aware of, we terminate service between April the 1st and November 29th. There is a moratorium during the months of -- of December through the end of March. All accounts that are eligible, that are past due, are subject to the notification, and they are terminated. What you're seeing in the report -- in addition to the termination of service, we are required to remove -- to leave on the books for financial presentation all accounts that are delinquent up to 15 years. Those -- yes, yes, they remain on the books for 15 years. They remain on the on the books. Unlike the gas and electric companies that can write off their receivables, we do not write off those receivables. But those accounts -- so we have accounts 99 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 that service has been terminated. In addition to that, the Revenue Department refers accounts to the Law Department for judgments to be placed against the persons and also for the accounts to be pursued by the Law Department for additional collection activity. All accounts that are over 90 days' old have been sent through the process and are sent to either the Law Department for judgments to be placed against them. Additionally, the counts are liened, and then we also have shut off.
I'm just wondering, you say you keep them alive for 15 years, so to speak?
Well, we just carry them on our records for 15 years; is that what you're saying?
We're required to, 100 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 yes.
There is a -- under Chapter 19, Section whatever, there's something that states that the receivable is to be carried for 9 years. And, I think, under the 10 previous commissioner -- we can get you 11 a copy of that. 12
That's for the 15 water utility that is governed by the City of Philadelphia, yes. I don't know about other utilities. And I would say that most utilities don't carry them for 15 years. But we, as a city government, have made that decision that these accounts are to be carried for 15 years.
Point of information. 101 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
Good morning. Do you know how many -- how much of the amount due you is 90 days, 180 days, one year, two year in terms of the 161 million versus, you know, years? And could you tell that? 11 'cause that's probably collectible and 12 the rest is not. 13
We can get -- we 14 can get information for you on the 15 amount of accounts that are paid normally within the 30, 60, 90 days. I would not be prepared to quote them to you right now.
I'm not asking for that; I'm asking for an aging accounts receivable.
The 102 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 Controller's report commented on possible fraud within the Water Revenue Bureau. Can you tell us what steps you have taken to investigate this allegation, and can you share with us what have been your findings?
Well, let's see. One of my duties -- I'm also the integrity offer for the department. I work with the Inspector General's Office. Any complaints, allegations, incidents of that nature we refer to the Inspector General's Office and work with them.
Well, are there many investigations ongoing, if any?
There are investigations that are ongoing. The one cited by the -- in the Controller's report, the person was forced to retire.
I'm 103 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 not going to get into that because if their investigation is still going on, I certainly don't want to interfere with that, but I'm glad to hear that you have referred them to the appropriate authority. On .55, you're requesting $2.4 million for collection agencies. What is their compensation?
When you're saying "compensation," are you talking percentages or the what they're getting throughout the course of a year?
The percentage rates that the collection agencies are getting from the department right now are anywhere from 14 to about 19 percent. Dollar-wise, I couldn't tell what you we have spent year-to-date on agencies. We can get you that dollar amount what you're looking for on what we spent year-to-date. 104 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
How many collection agencies does the Water Department have?
Can you get us that information, please? I'd be very curious to see what it is we're getting.
What is the status of your new billing system, the Project Ocean, and what will be its final cost to the Water Department?
Currently, the Project Ocean -- as you know, the 105 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 system went live on January 2nd of 2008. We are getting bills out on a timely manner to our citizens in the City of Philadelphia. We currently expect to spend in the next fiscal year $1.6 million on that project. The project was underbudgeted by $900,000. It was budgeted for 6.8 million and we only spent 5.8 million on that project when it was completed.
Can you explain why it costs the Revenue Department more to collect the City's water bills, 22.2 million, than it costs to collect all of the General Fund revenues of $17.2 million?
Currently, the staff in the Water Revenue Bureau, it's for 260 full-time people. The staff is at the time period a little bit larger than what the revenue side of it is, and the costs are shared with the Water Department also as well. 106 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 And some of the funds are shared costs with us because of payment processing that is downstairs in the concourse that is funded with Revenue and Water Revenue side of things also because, again, a lot of billing is coming from the Water Revenue side more during the course of the year than on the Revenue side.
Okay. The Water Fund is more money. Again, we have 260-plus positions there currently compared to the Revenue side. We also share the costs from the Water Fund that goes through the payment processing side of things downstairs in the concourse for the equipment usage for the positions downstairs as well.
Thank you, Madam President. 107 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 I wanted some clarification on in our operating summary, where we -- where prisons are listed. I don't understand -- I want clarification on all of those charges, what telephone reimbursements are, what work-release board increase is and inmate account fee and other. Can you explain those charges?
On , where it says "Prisons," can you explain all of those charges for prisons?
Telephone reimbursement is one, and that's 46. Number 47 is work-release board increase. The third is inmate account fee, and the fourth is other. (Witness comes forward.)
Madam Chair, 108 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73 Steve Agostini, Budget Director. Those revenues are specific to the Prisons Department. For example, the reimbursement on the telephones were implemented by -- or proposed by the Prisons Department as a way to recover additional revenue. I believe that Prisons is before you sometime later this week, either Tuesday or Wednesday, so you may wish to ask the Commissioner then.
All right. I'll wait till -- so shall we ask Prisons all of the questions?
Thank you. We're happy to wait till then. Thank you.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green. 109 3/24/08 Whole 08022,154,55,56,57,60,61,68,73
Can you tell me how many employees are assigned at water collection, Water Revenue collection?
Currently for the Water Revenue collections, there are funding for 260 positions.