Between renting the Gulfport Casino Ballroom to paying for slip rentals at the Gulfport Municipal Marina, customers swipe their credit cards more than 16,000 times a year for services and products sold by the City of Gulfport. Until now, the city paid for the bank charges to process the transactions. The total cost last year was $53,610.
On Tuesday night, councilors unanimously passed to create a $3.25 per transaction convenience fee which will offset the bank charges the city currently pays.
The convenience fee is estimated to bring in $25,000 next fiscal year. The fee will not be applied to over-the-counter sales transactions because the bank charge is built into the retail price. This applies to products at the Gulfport Municipal Marina.
The convenience fees are one of many changes councilors are approving to balance the operating budget which begins on Oct. 1. The second reading and final public hearing for the budget is tonight at 7 p.m. at Gulfport City Hall. To view the agenda check out the city's website. You can also watch the hearing on Brighthouse Cable Channel 615 or online on the city's website.
