Commissioner Chloe Eudaly has done something rare for Portland politicians: She eliminated a city fee.

Eudaly, the city transportation commissioner, announced Tuesday that she has axed the leaf fee charged annually to residents of more than 50 "leaf districts," according to a news release. The districts are areas "that account for the vast majority of leaves that fall on city streets," the announcement said. The districts also encompass the city's toniest neighborhoods, and no areas east of Mt. Tabor.

The city has for decades collected leaves in the districts and since 2010 has charged for the service. The fee is $15 for small residences and $65 for businesses and apartment complexes with four or more units.

Eudaly, who last month was put in charge of the Portland Bureau of Transportation by Mayor Ted Wheeler, said the fee was "not meeting its intended goal" as a method to recoup the cost of leaf pickup and so she did away with it.

By ending the fee, she said, "we will save on administrative costs, our streets and storm drains will be cleared and Portlanders will have one less fee to pay."

Dylan Rivera, a spokesman for the Transportation Bureau, said the leaf fee brought in between $425,000 and $530,000 each year of its existence, and $3.6 million over its lifetime. Leaf pickup costs during that time were $7.6 million, including the cost to collect the fee, Rivera said.

Leaf removal costs will now be paid by the Transportation Bureau's general fund, the same fund that pays for snow and ice removal and patching potholes. Chris Warner, the bureau director, said he does not anticipate that eliminating the leaf fee will affect other bureau services, like plowing and pothole repairs.

Though the leaf collection fee is no more, the service remains the same, according to the Transportation Bureau. Leaf collection will begin November 9, the bureau said.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

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