AURORA | The city came closer Monday night to raising a longstanding court surcharge 72 percent, imposed on some traffic infractions, animal charges and illegal marijuana grows.

Aurora City Council gave initial approval to a measure Monday night to increase the current $29 court surcharge to $50.

Only one council member, Charlie Richardson, voted against the measure, which now awaits final approval.

The increase is only $2 more than what inflation would dictate should be the surcharge, court officials say, justifying the 72 percent increase. City leaders last increased the surcharge in 2006, which was a 71 percent increase from $17.

Five different public safety programs benefit from the surcharges: Aurora for Youth, NEXUS, Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement Training, Teen Court and Wellness Court. All programs will receive a boost with the increase.

With the current surcharge, court officials told city council during the Monday study session that some programs would run out of funding by 2019 or 2020. Richardson blamed the funding gap on a police shortage, to which Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz said a recent increase in high-priority calls means fewer officers on the road writing traffic tickets. Fewer tickets means fewer fines funding public safety programs, Metz said.

NEXUS, which provides funding for non-profit agencies servicing the city, will get $4.50 more per infraction with the increase, and VALET will get an additional $5.

Aurora’s Wellness Court was previously funded with grants are set to soon end. Currently Teen Court and Wellness Housing receive only $2 from the $29 surcharge. With the increase, those programs will receive $9.50 of every $50 surcharge. That allows Teen Court and Wellness Court both have two full time employees each, according to city plans.

Aurora Chief Judge Shawn Day, who presented the measure, also requested that the ordinance read that surcharges benefit “problem solving courts” rather than the Teen Court and Wellness Court specifically so that more courts could be included in the future.

There will also be a $1 surcharge for court technology, including updated cameras, audio equipment and other equipment for the court house.

“All we’re going to do is to continue to make sure we’re on the cutting edge, possibly sometimes the bleeding edge, of technology,” said Aurora’s chief court administrator Zelda DeBoyes during a July 10 study session.

The measure, which is expected to get final approval, would take effect in January.