§ 138-63. Recycling service charge; exemption; collection.

(a)

The fees for recycling shall be as follows for services rendered:

(1)

Each residential unit, except residential units in multi-residential structures that show proof of exemption from payment of city service fees as provided in this section below, $1.00 per month.

(2)

Business, professional, or service office or institution, except those that show proof of exemption from payment of city service fees as provided in this section below, $1.00 per month.

(3)

Commercial, industrial and manufacturing establishments, except those that show proof of exemption from payment of city service fees as provided in this section below, $2.00 per month.

(b)

The fees imposed in subsection (a) of this section shall be due and are owed by the recipient of the services and shall be collected by the property owner from the recipient of the service and paid by the owner of the property on the water and/or sewerage bills of the sewerage and water board.

(c)

The director of finance shall provide a certificate of exemption from the recycling charge for 12 months for any head of household who is 65 years of age or older and whose household income does not exceed the standard for low income households which is established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The certificate shall be provided by the director upon receipt of satisfactory evidence of age and household income and may be renewed annually upon resubmission of evidence. The sewerage and water board shall not include the recycling charge on the bill of any head of household for which a certificate of exemption has been granted during the effective period of the exemption.

(d)

Proof of exemption may be certified as follows:

(1)

Proof of age.

a.

Louisiana state I.D.

b.

Louisiana driver's license.

c.

Birth certificate.

d.

Other (U.S. passport, U.S. resident I.D., out-of-state driver's license).

Once a person proves that he or she is 65 years or older, verification of age is done only once.

(2)

Proof of federal low income.

a.

Supplemental security card (SSI).

b.

Medicaid card.

c.

Food stamps I.D. card (FSP2).

d.

Social security administration-award letter.

(3)

[Poverty income guidelines.] Poverty income guidelines according to federal register are as follows:

No. of Household	Income
1	$ 7,470.00
2	10,030.00
3	12,590.00
4	15,150.00
5	17,710.00
6	20,070.00
7	22,830.00
8	25,390.00
Households larger than eight, add $2,560.00 for each additional number. These guidelines shall be reversed in accordance with federal guidelines.

 

(e)

The department of finance may annually exempt property owners from the service charges imposed by subsection (a) of this section upon:

(1)

Submission of a sworn application of an exemption certifying that collection of refuse at the subject address is provided for on a regular basis by a private refuse collection agency, and that collection of recyclables at the subject address is provided for on a regular basis by a private recycling agency, and submission of such proof as necessary to verify collection by a private contractor. All private recycling programs must have a waste reductions goal of 25 percent, consistent with applicable state law, and must provide a sworn application to that effect.

(2)

Payment of a litter abatement service charge in lieu of sanitation service charges according to the schedule provided in section 138-58 of this Code.

(f)

The recycling charge will become due on the due date of the water and/or sewerage bill. If not paid on or before the due date, a ten percent penalty will be added to the recycling charge.

(g)

Persons qualifying for exemption from the recycling service charge, as provided in this section, shall also be granted exemption from any increase in the sanitation service charge, as provided in section 137-57(a), above the rates in effect as of December 1, 2000.

(h)

The department of finance shall temporarily exempt all persons from the recycling service charge imposed by subsection (a). This fee exemption shall apply retroactively from September 1, 2005, and shall remain effective until recycling collection services are resumed.

(M.C.S., Ord. No. 16,856, 1-5-95; M.C.S., Ord. No. 16,993, § 1, 4-20-95 ; Ord. No. 19,963, § 1, 12-12-00; M.C.S., Ord. No. 22117, § 1, 1-5-06)