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48 <br />Attachment 9 <br />Frequently Asked Questions <br />Proposed Solid Waste Service Tax District <br />Revised April 4, 2014 <br />1. What is a Solid Waste Service Tax District? <br />It is a defined geographic area of a county where specific solid waste related services are <br />provided and whose property owners fund the service through a tax that is set at a rate that will <br />finance those defined services. <br />2. What is the Solid Waste Service Tax District that is being proposed by the Board of County <br />Commissioners? <br />The Board of Commissioners is proposing a service district that would provide for every other <br />week curbside /roadside recycling collection. The proposed district does not include waste /trash <br />collection, only recycling. This service was previously funded by a $38 annual Rural 3 -11 Fee that <br />was billed on the annual tax bill, but that fee was eliminated following the 2012 Tax Billing. The <br />service district is being proposed to replace the rural recycling program funding previously <br />provided from that fee. The proposed service district will expand this recycling service to about <br />1,600 additional residents beyond the 13,750 households who are currently eligible for this <br />service. The district would not include municipalities. <br />3. What if I don't recycle or take my materials to a Solid Waste Convenience Center? Is there an <br />option whereby a property owner can opt -out of this service? <br />The Solid Waste Service Tax District, as with the previous Rural 3 -R Fee, does not provide an <br />exemption or opt -out option for those residents who choose not to use the service. All taxable <br />property that is included within the district would be assessed the district tax. As with property <br />taxes in general, there would be no opt -out option. <br />4. Since I received a notice of a Public Hearing does this mean that my property will be included in <br />the proposed district? <br />Yes. If you received this notice your property, or if you own multiple properties, at least one <br />property you own is proposed to be located within the district. If more than one property is <br />owned only those located within the proposed district would be subject to the district tax. <br />5. How much will I have to pay through a district tax? <br />The district tax rate will beset to generate funding for the every other week recycling service. It <br />is currently estimated that the tax rate would be set at approximately 1.5 cents per $100 of <br />assessed value. This would mean a property with an assessed value of $100,000 would pay $15 <br />per year. <br />6. Why not continue charging the Rural 3 -11 Fee of $38 /year? <br />The County Attorney and the County Manager recommended to the Board of County <br />Commissioners last year that the Board abolish the Rural 3 -11 Fee due to some uncertainty with <br />regard to the fee being wholly consistent with state law authorizing counties to assess these <br />