Euclid City Council To Consider 2 More Years of Garbage Tax

Mayor Bill Cervenik has asked Council to approve legislation to extend the Garbage Tax for two more years. Council will discuss the extension Monday, June 10 Wednesday, June 12 at 6:30pm at the Executive Finance Committee meeting. The public is encouraged to attend. 

Cervenik's removal of a critical section in the
original legislation is costing homeowners
hundreds of dollars



In 2010 Council initiated a Garbage Tax on every household in Euclid in the amount of $108 a year. After the first year of direct billing, the tax was placed on property taxes as a Special Assessment. Council has approved one year extensions since then.

This legislation like the Street Lighting Tax piece has problems.

For starters, how many people know they’re paying for Garbage Pickup. Special Assessments are not broken down in a property tax bill. Most folks don’t even see their bill because they have a mortgage. We have a lot of new people since 2010 that may not know the tax was even passed. The City should consider sending out a notice regarding this and the street light tax.

Next, at the June 3^rd Council meeting, Mayor Cervenik stated publicly that, “[The fee] is $108 a year for those that have trash collection.” That’s not true.

Vacant lots are being charged $108 a year for trash that is not collected. On my street, we have a vacant lot that was recently purchased by the owner next door. The vacant lot has been and is being assessed a garbage tax of $108 + $1.08 SPA fee. The SPA fee is for the County to administer the collection and distribution of the Garbage Tax. Until and unless he consolidates the two parcels, the new owner will pay $218.16 for garbage. He is single.

Now, the original language in 2010 included a discount for Seniors and disabled persons with a household income of less than $20,000. That still holds. However, the 2010 legislation also had a Section that is missing from the current legislation.

Section 3 of Ord. 36-2010 read,

“That the Director of Public Service is hereby authorized to provide rules for property owners to apply for a fifty percent (50%) reduction in the payment of the fee in the event that the property has been vacant for more than ninety (90) days until such time as the property is occupied. Any reduction provided shall be nullified in the event the property is reoccupied and the property owner fails to timely notify the City to resume collection of the fee amount.”

I guarantee you that Mayor Cervenik and Law Director Frey are completely aware of the missing section. They drafted the legislation. So why was it pulled? My guess – greed, pure and simple.

Let me explain what impact this change in the original legislation means to a large number of homeowners. I looked up my street Abby Ave on the County Fiscal Officer’s web site. We have 3 owners of doubles who occupy their homes and choose not to rent the other half. They are all single – no kids. 2 are seniors. They are each paying $216 + $2.16 SPA fee.

This garbage tax on land and units that are uninhabited is unconscionable, doubly so in light of the fact that the 4 persons used here as an example, together don’t put out half of what the family up the street puts out. Yet they are paying double the amount of garbage tax.

At best, Council should completely eliminate the garbage tax on vacant lots and owner occupied doubles that choose not to rent the other half. At the very least, Council needs to re-instate Section 3 of Ord. 36-2010.