RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Riverside County Environmental Health Department requested Tuesday that the County Board of Supervisors impose approximately $4.16 million of special assessments on unpaid trash collection bills at a Tuesday meeting.
The county’s Department of Environmental Health Director, Jeff Johnson, says there are just under 7,000 residents in unincorporated communities who owe the county’s four waste haulers for rubbish pickup and disposal services in 2024.
The arrears in unpaid bills range from a low of $150 to a high of $10,300 per customer, according to the proposed special assessment documents.
Jouhson asked for the public hearing for the board to approve the assessments, which would be added to the annual property tax obligations of delinquent payers. He 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 are critical,” he said.
The hearing will provide an opportunity for ratepayers to present their cases against assessments, offering specifics about mitigating circumstances, including how their finances have been impacted by inflation and other factors over the last year, to the extent that they have been unable to meet some obligations.
In the past, petitioners have presented appeals to the board, arguing that they shouldn’t be held responsible for the costs incurred by waste haulers, as they oversee their waste disposal. 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 pick up garbage regularly, yet still charging as if they had done so.
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 can avoid the supplemental charge by paying their bills in full on or before July 25, which for some could be prohibitive.
