Vice Mayor Rick Cook noted the city has already had a 341percent increase since 2007 in pumping fees charged by United Water Conservation District and he asked how solid waste customers saved by the Crown increase being delayed two years.
Based on the Consumer Price Index Fontes said Crown would have been entitled to a 4.15 percent increase.
Residents now pay basic rates of $21.47 a month for a 95-gallon container of waste, $17.47 a month for a 65-gallon container or $13.47 for a 35-gallon container. The rates also include separate 95-gallon recycling cans for green waste and recyclables such as plastic, aluminum and paper, although customers can opt to have smaller bins. Monthly added costs and charges that would not be impacted by a rate increase are $1 per customer for the Household Hazardous Waste program and $5.20 for the city’s franchise fee and AB 939.
The latter is state mandated authorization of local jurisdictions to impose fees based on the types or amounts of solid waste generated to be used to pay actual costs incurred in preparing, adopting and implementing integrated waste management plans, as well as in setting and collecting the local fees.
Following the meeting Yanez said not implementing the rate increase “Saved $118,000 to residential and commercial accounts.”
Crown has been the city’s solid waste hauler since the city eliminated its solid-waste department in 2011, a controversial move that city officials said was necessary to help offset a projected $1.8 million deficit.
Santa Paula collects approximately $300,000 in annual franchise fees from Crown.
