According to the Department of Environmental Health, 6,955 residents in unincorporated communities owe the county’s four waste haulers for rubbish pickup and disposal services in 2024.

Amounts in arrears range from a low of $150 to a high of $10,300 per customer, according to the proposed special assessment roll.

Environmental Health Director Jeff Johnson requested the public hearing for the board to approve the assessments, which would be tacked onto delinquent payers’ annual property tax obligations.

In a statement posted to the board’s agenda, the environmental health director noted that “regular removal of solid waste from residential properties is a basic sanitation practice that protects both the environment and the public.”

“The mandatory collection of solid waste and the payment for the collection is critical,” he said.

The hearing will serve as an opportunity for ratepayers to argue before the board their cases against assessments, offering specifics about mitigating circumstances, including how their finances have been impacted in the last year by inflation and other factors, to the extent that they have not been able to meet some obligations.

In the past, petitioners have presented appeals to the board based on the fact they oversee their own waste disposal and shouldn’t be on the hook for the waste haulers’ costs. Sometimes, properties are also under lease, and the owners aren’t responsible for paying trash disposal charges.

Former Supervisor Kevin Jeffries often pointed out instances in which haulers were charging for services never rendered, failing to regularly pick up garbage but still charging as if they had been.

If the board authorizes the special assessments after the hearing is closed, an additional $82-per-parcel charge would be applied to delinquent bills to cover the cost of public noticing and county staff time.

Officials said residents will be able to avoid the supplemental charge by paying their bills in full on or before July 25.

The post 6,955 Residents Facing Property Tax Surprise In Unincorporated Riverside County appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

County officials emphasize that these assessments are a necessary measure to ensure the continued provision of essential sanitation services throughout the region. “The regular removal of solid waste from residential properties is a basic sanitation practice that protects both the environment and the public,” stated Environmental Health Director Jeff Johnson in a report to the board. “The mandatory collection of solid waste and the payment for the collection is critical.”

However, the proposal is likely to face pushback from affected residents. Some homeowners argue that they have independently managed their waste disposal and should not be billed for county services. Others contend that they were never properly billed for the services in the first place, leading to unexpected and substantial arrears.

To incentivize timely payment and mitigate further administrative burden, the county is offering an incentive: residents who settle their outstanding balances in full by July 25th will avoid an additional $82 per-parcel administrative fee, which is intended to cover the costs associated with public noticing and county staff time involved in the assessment process.

The July 1st public hearing will provide an opportunity for residents to voice their concerns and present their cases to the Board of Supervisors before a final decision is made on the proposed property tax assessments. This move highlights the ongoing challenges local governments face in recovering service costs and ensuring compliance with public health mandates.

The post Riverside County to Consider Adding $4 Million in Unpaid Trash Fees to Property Taxes appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.