A laundry list of new fees and old fee increases were discussed at a House legislative meeting Friday, as a handful of state agencies request approval for fee hikes, designed to cover the costs of services they provide.
The Secretary of State proposed changes to 41 fees related to filing corporate records, but only introduced three new fees, including a $125 fee for registering telemarketers. The anticipated revenue of almost $914,000 from these fees would fund a new computer system and additional staff at the office.
Among the more quirky new fees was a $20 permit to harvest ginseng from the wild, and a $20-$60 for beehive inspection, which legislators discussed at great length and with some amusement.
More serious proposed fees include a $250 fee for businesses to participate voluntarily in a “Market Vermont” label for agricultural, forestry and craft goods, designed to promote the Vermont brand.
Another is the 1,200 percent fee increase for tobacco retailers, from $10 for a tobacco license to $130. The fee hasn’t been changed since 1991.
The 109 changes to fees are expected to raise $2.37 million for the state. The majority of the revenue raised is to cover the costs associated with regulating state products or services.
Here’s a full list of the proposed fees.
