Unincorporated Residents Owe $4.16M In Unpaid Trash Bills, Riverside County Plans To Collect

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA —The Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to impose special assessments totaling $4.16 million on thousands of Riverside County property owners' tax bills to collect unpaid trash collection debts.

In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board signed off on Department of Environmental Health Director Jeff Johnson's request to apply the liens.

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.

During Tuesday's hearing, ratepayers had the opportunity to argue their cases against assessments and offer specifics about mitigating circumstances, to the extent they had not been able to meet some obligations; however, no one requested to speak.

In the past, petitioners presented appeals to the board based on the fact they oversee their own waste disposal and shouldn't be on the hook for the waste haulers' costs. 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 regularly pick up garbage but still charging as if they had been.

With the board's imposition of the special assessments, an additional $82-per-parcel charge can 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.