Plan to Hike Fees for Garbage Pickup Gets a Verbal Trashing : Government: 14 residents find no solace in the explanation that revenue from the state is shrinking.

A proposed increase in residential garbage collection fees met with vehement protests Wednesday from a small but vocal group of Beverly Hills residents.

Fourteen residents, who were nearly outnumbered by city staffers and commissioners, attended a meeting in answer to the city’s call for comments on a 65% increase in refuse fees proposed to offset a nearly $5.6-million shortfall in the 1993-94 budget.

The city’s proposed $75.7-million operating budget is about the same as last year, but officials expect less revenue this year because of deep cuts in the state allocation of property taxes.

The meeting, held by the Public Works Commission and city manager, was the first in a planned series of workshops on the proposed increase and the city budget.

Until two years ago, the entire cost of providing refuse service was paid out of the city’s general fund, City Manager Mark Scott said. Last year, the city began charging residents a fee to cover half of the $4 million in operating costs, and it is now proposing to pass on the remaining $2.2 million.

Several residents at the meeting complained that they pay their property taxes and expect basic city services such as sewer and refuse collection to be paid out of those taxes.

But Scott responded that the cost of maintaining the Police Department alone is $18.8 million, whereas the city expects to garner only $16.2 million in property taxes.

Other residents said the sewer and refuse services should be based on actual use.

“I’m very ecologically minded,” resident Sonia Lazar said. “I’m not going to pay 65% more for trash I don’t generate.”

Under the plan, residents with lots less than 10,000 square feet will see their trash bill go from $26.71 to $44.07 every two months. Residents with lots of 10,000 to 20,000 square feet will see their bills rise from $53.42 to $88.14, and owners of lots more than 20,000 square feet will be billed $146.90, up from $89.03.

Rates for multifamily residential complexes will also increase from $13.35 to $22.03 per dwelling unit.

The city has no plans to raise water rates, and sewer rates for most residential users will actually go down, according to city officials. Residents will be charged a flat rate of $23.50 every two months instead of the present variable rate.

Scott and city commissioners say the refuse increases are needed because the city faces a loss of millions of dollars in property taxes that the state plans to keep this financial year to resolve its own budget dilemma.

Councilman Allan L. Alexander said Thursday that the city’s budget problems are not because of overspending or lack of planning. The city would have a balanced budget, he said, if the state were not taking $5.2 million in property taxes that would usually go to the city.

Instead of getting $21.4 million in property taxes, the city will get $16.2 million in the 93-94 year.

Alexander said Thursday that he has proposed an independent audit of the sanitation services to see if the $4 million in operating costs can be cut in half. The council has agreed to the audit, and it could be completed in two to three months once the staff has drawn up the contract proposal, he added.

Alexander said he would also like to see an audit conducted of police operations.

The proposed refuse fee increases are not the only source of funds being considered to balance the budget. The city will have to cut more than $1 million from its operating costs and look for new sources of revenue to make up for the $3.4-million shortfall not covered by the proposed sanitation fees, Scott said.

The city is considering charging a business license fee for the rental of single-family homes and home-based businesses, and charging a street-cutting fee when utility companies cut into streets for repair work, he said.

Scott and several council members also acknowledged that they are studying personnel needs as part of the budget review process.

Alexander and Councilwoman Vicki Reynolds said last week that personnel issues are being discussed in closed session with department heads.

In addition to the community workshops, the City Council will discuss the budget at an informal meeting this week and at upcoming regular meetings.