LANDLORDS COULD FACE STIFF PENALTIES

Illegal skateboarders and dope smokers won't feel the sting of a
series of proposed city fine increases, but owners of loud cars and
bad landlords would pay plenty.

Ald. Mike Verveer is proposing to at least double the fines on nearly
100 ordinance violations.

Some fines would see even bigger jumps: Landlords who fail to give
24-hour notice before entering a tenant's apartment, for instance,
would be subject to a $784 citation, up from $71. The fine for
landlords who seize a tenant's personal property would go from $102 to
$784.

Fines that won't change are $65 for illegal skateboarding, $164 for
underage consumption of liquor off a licensed premise, and $102 for
the "casual" possession of marijuana.

Among other fines that would increase under Verveer's
proposal:

. Vandalism: $288 to $412.

. Retail theft: $164 to $288.

. Abuse of animals: $164 to $288.

. Motor vehicle noise: $71 to $164.

. Child enticement: $300 to $1,280.

. Failure to obtain a building permit: $102 to $288.

. Littering: $71 to $164.

Verveer said he is decreasing at least one fine: the penalty for
setting off illegal fireworks.

Because police officers reported they were reluctant to enforce the
law and hit people with a $660 fine, Verveer is suggesting the penalty
be knocked down to $412.

The downtown alderman said the proposed hikes are aimed at promoting
voluntary compliance of the city's laws, but acknowledged they would
also bring much needed cash to the city.

"Obviously, it will have a positive influence on city revenues,"
Verveer said on Tuesday.

Some ordinance violations, such as retail theft and vandalism, are big
revenue generators, he said. Other penalties are rarely invoked
because police instead charge the individual under state criminal law
for such offenses as child enticement, he added.

Verveer estimated the increased fines, which he plans to introduce to
the City Council on October 19, would produce about $200,000 in
additional revenues.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's $193 million budget, introduced to the City
Council Tuesday night, already incorporates the as-yet unapproved
forfeitures into its bottom line.

The mayor's budget is also counting on some $200,000 in additional
revenue from alcohol-related ordinance violations, which the City
Council approved Tuesday night.

Last year, after Cieslewicz introduced his 2004 budget, Verveer
introduced a budget amendment that raised permit and license fees and
was estimated to generate $700,000 in additional revenues.

City Comptroller Dean Brasser said the estimate was on
target.

"Generally speaking, all general fund revenues are tracking close to
budget this year," he said.

City Council members used some of that additional revenue last year to
add items to the mayor's budget. Verveer, for instance, funded janitor
positions that had been cut.