Signal Hill property owners pay one of the highest sewer service charges in the Coun
ty. We just got our annual property tax bills. Check it out. Look down the list of “Direct Assessments.” These are property fees.
In the case of Signal Hill, there is a charge for Sanitation District 29. The sewer service charge is for the operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of all the sewer lines in the middle of the street, one pump plant and sewage transport to the treatment plant in Carson.
Signal Hill is the only city in Los Angeles County that has it’s own sanitation district. Sanitation District #29 is totally within city boundaries. The Signal Hill City Council is the Board of Sanitation District #29.
All other cities pay for the operation, maintenance and repair of the sewer lines in the middle of the street out of city funds that are a part of a city’s annual budget.
In the case of District #29, the money looks like a County charge, but it isn’t. It actually is a City of Signal Hill charge for special assessment District 29 and collected by the County.
Back in 2004, the City asked the County sanitation district to take over the local sewer lines and the pump plant on Alamitos. The District asked how much it cost the City to do this work itself. The city reported that it cost from $400,000 to $500,000 a year. The District thought the cost to be reasonable, agreed to set-up a special assessment district for the city. Then, asked that the Board (City Council) approve a service charge fee for District #29.
Then, in 2007 the District discovered that the real cost of maintaining the sewer lines was actually much greater. According to District staff, numerous lines needed rehabilitation. Several were plugged up or old. It looked like the City had not taken care of its sewer lines for some time.
To clean up the problems, the Board/City Council agreed to increase the sewer service charge over three years. The last increase appears on this year’s property tax bill.
When another increase is needed, property owners will be sent a notice in the mail letting them know about the increase. If you agree with the increase you can just ignore the notice because if you don’t take any action, it is assumed that you agree with the increase.
If you oppose the increase you must go to a public hearing on the increase and say you oppose. Or, you can write a letter to the Board in opposition. However, an increase can only be rejected if 50% of 100% of the property owners affected oppose it.
