SANTA PAULA : Property Taxes May Include Unpaid Bills
Overdue bills for sewage and trash collection would be added to property tax bills under a measure expected to be passed by the Santa Paula City Council tonight.
Each offender would also be assessed $20 to cover the cost of the procedure.
Adding delinquent charges to the property tax bill is more efficient for the city than trying to collect from property owners, said Mary Manes, customer services supervisor.
“It’s effective,” Manes said. “Property tax bills have more clout than trash and sewer bills.”
Last month, the city sent legal notices to 400 residents who owe the city for at least four months of trash and sewer service. About half the recipients have paid the overdue charges, Manes said. The collection drive is an annual event, with many repeat offenders, she said.
Residents who do not pay before the deadline have a double lien placed against their property. One lien is filed with the office of county recorder to cover the city if the property is sold before the tax bill arrives in November. The other lien goes to the tax assessor.
The cost of sewage and trash collection averages $20 a month for a single-family dwelling, Manes said.
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