Sanitary Sewer Service and Garbage Collection Rates for Low-Income Senior Citizens and Low-Income Disabled Citizens

RCW 74.38.070 provides that cities may provide utility services at reduced rates for low-income senior citizens or low-income disabled citizens; and

The City Council of the City of Longview recognizes the financial hardships placed upon low-income senior citizens and low income disabled citizens as a result of the increasing costs of necessary utility services provided by the City to all of its citizens; and

It is the desire of the City Council to provide for reduced rates to such low-income citizens for sewer and garbage collection services.

Section 1. Definitions:

(a) The term “low-income senior citizen” means a person who is 62 years of age or older and whose total income, including that of his or her spouse or cotenant, does not exceed $15,050.00 per year.

(b) The term “low-income disabled citizen” means (i) a person qualifying for special parking privileges under RCW 46.16.381(1)(a) through (f), (ii) a blind person as defined in RCW 74.18.020, or (iii) a disabled, handicapped or incapacitated person as defined under any other state or federal program, and whose total income, including that of his or her spouse or cotenant, does not exceed $15,050.00 per year.

(c) The term “income,” or “total income,” means salary, wages, interest, dividends, and other earnings which are reportable for federal income tax purposes, and cash payments such as reimbursements received from pensions, annuities, social security, and public assistance programs. It includes any contributions received from any family member or other person who is domiciled in the same residence as the applicant for reduced utility rates hereunder and who is helping defray such applicant’s living costs.

Section 2. Any low-income senior citizen or low-income disabled citizen who receives sanitary sewer or garbage collection service from the City of Longview shall be entitled to receive such sanitary sewer service and garbage collection service at the following reduced rates:

(a) Sanitary Sewer Service: A reduction, not to exceed fifty percent (50%), in residential rates, may be allowed.

(b) Garbage Collection Service: No charge shall be made to those persons whose applications are approved for reduced rates for garbage collection service, subject to (c), below.

(c) The amount of sewer rate reduction and the allowance of free garbage collection service, when related to income, shall be as set forth on Exhibit “A,” attached hereto and incorporated herein and by this reference.

(d) Applications for reduced utility rates hereunder shall be made upon forms to be provided by the Department of Administrative Services of the City, and shall disclose all sources of income as required by such forms. Such applications and the contents thereof shall remain confidential to the extent permitted by law. Any person who is aggrieved by the denial of reduced utility rates as herein provided may appeal such denial to the City Manager, whose decision with respect thereto shall be final.

(e) All applicants who have been granted reduced utility rates hereunder shall, as a condition of continued entitlement to reduced rates, annually submit to the Department of Administrative Services of the City a statement in writing, verifying that applicant’s income remains at or below the level described in Section 1 of this Resolution.

Section 3. Low-income senior citizens and low-income disabled citizens, who occupy multiple-family dwellings or mobile home courts as renters or tenants, and whose monthly or other rental includes an amount for sanitary sewer service and/or garbage collection and recycling, shall be entitled to receive, as a monthly rebate from the City of Longview, the following amounts:

(a) Sanitary Sewer Service:

The monthly rebate for sanitary sewer service shall be a sum equal to the percentage of $7.94 that such low-income senior citizen or low-income disabled citizen would have received if such person or persons resided in a single-family residence.

(b) Garbage Collection and Recycling Service:

The monthly rebate for garbage collection and recycling service shall be a sum equal to the reduction in rates for such service that such low-income senior citizen or low-income disabled citizen would have received if such person or persons resided in a single-family residence.

(c) Application for Rebate:

Applications for such rebates hereunder shall be made upon forms to be provided by the Department of Administrative Services of the City, and shall disclose all sources of income as required by such forms. Such applications and the contents thereof shall remain confidential to the extent permitted by law. Any person who is aggrieved by the denial of a request for rebate as herein provided may appeal such denial to the City Manager, whose decision with respect thereto shall be final.

(d) Notification of Disqualification:

An applicant who ceases to be qualified for rebates as provided in this Resolution shall advise the Department of Administrative Services within five days after having become so disqualified and the privilege to receive rebates hereunder shall immediately cease; provided, however, that if such applicant becomes qualified for rebate hereunder within ten days after having become disqualified, the privilege to receive rebates hereunder shall continue without interruption.

(e) Rebates – Quarterly:

All rebates hereunder shall be paid quarterly and mailed to the applicant who is entitled thereto. Such rebates shall be made by commercial bank check and must be personally endorsed by the payee to be negotiated. Any checks that are presented without personal endorsement, or endorsement under a power of attorney, shall not be honored.

Section 4. No reduction in rates shall be permitted or granted if the effect thereof will be to reduce the aggregate gross income from sanitary sewer service and garbage collection during any calendar year by more than approximately $60,000.

Section 5. This Resolution shall take effect as to the customer’s (applicant’s) first billing after May 1, 1995. (Res. 1566, 1995).

EXHIBIT “A”

1995 SANITARY SEWER RATE REDUCTIONS
AND FREE GARBAGE COLLECTION SERVICE ALLOWANCES

	Income Levels		Percentage	Free
			of Sanitary	Garbage
		Two or More	Sewer Rate	Collection
Code	One Person	People	Reduction	Service
1	$10,520– $13,150	$13,150– $15,050	30%	No
2	$ $8,416– $10,519	$10,520– $13,149	40%	No
3	$00– $ 8,415	$00– $10,519	50%	Yes