CANTON — St. Lawrence County legislators got on board with a fee increase Monday once they learned how much it costs to record documents in the clerk's office.

Lawmakers at the Services Committee found out that it costs the county approximately $33 in staff time to file a two-page mortgage, deed or other document. The county keeps $14 of the $31 paid in fees. The rest goes to the state.

A state-permitted increase will still fall short of that amount, but legislators who were skeptical a week ago of raising the fee were persuaded to close the gap.

"I've got no problem with that," said Legislator David W. Forsythe, R-Lisbon.

Mr. Forsythe and others opposed the increase when it was brought up at a meeting Aug. 11. Without knowing the cost, they saw it as a tax-hike substitute designed to generate revenue.

County Clerk Patricia A. Ritchie, who broke down the cost based on salaries, benefits and filing time, was not at the Aug. 11 meeting. She did not advocate Monday for an increase because she expects her office to make an approximately $400,000 profit this year by processing vehicle registrations for downstate auto dealers. She made legislators aware of it, however, because the state recently approved the first county increase since the 1970s.

"I could certainly understand if we wanted to increase it because of the cost," she said. "All of the names have to be typed in, it has to be indexed and everything is checked three or four times for accuracy."

The move is expected to increase county revenues $200,000 to $250,000 annually. The gap has traditionally been covered by profits from other charges such as passport fees, Mrs. Ritchie said.

Under the state law, the county can increase its share of the fee by $15 and the per-page cost by $2. With the increase, the county will make $29 on a two-page filing.

"We aren't even going to cover our cost," said Legislature Vice Chairman Frederick S. Morrill, D-DeKalb.

The Legislature will have a public hearing at 6:50 p.m. Oct. 6 in the County Courthouse and is expected to increase the fee immediately afterward.