Inglewood City Council Raises Trash Rates

Inglewood residents will receive a lump of coal for Christmas courtesy of their city council.  Effective December 1st, commercial and residential trash rates will increase 2.2%.  Mayor James Butts and his councilmates unanimously approved the increase at today’s regular city council meeting.

On June 5, 2012, the city of Inglewood entered into a ten (10) year agreement with Consolidated Disposable Service (CDS), a subsidiary of Republic Services.  The contract became the subject of a Los Angeles County District Attorney and FBI investigation in a complaint filed by former Inglewood City Councilwoman Judy Dunlap.  She voted against the contract.

Section 6.3 of Agreement 12-077 called for the rates to increase annually on December 1st.

“These additional fees amount to approximately $25 [million] to $30 million dollars extra over the life of the contract,” she [Judy Dunlap] wrote. “This is unconscionable!”

Related:  Inglewood mayor’s role in $100-million trash hauling pact is questioned

Republic Services has been named defendant in a newly filed lawsuit by the city council and residents in the city of Maywood.  Allegations surround claims of fraud in the calcuations used to justify rate increases imposed on residents and the failure of Republic to turn over monies related to the User Utility Tax (UUT) fees.

Related:  Inglewood Trash Hauler Sued for Fraud

According to the city of Inglewood contract, rate increases are based on:

…rate of indices published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and associated weight calculations described as “Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers”…

City of Inglewood residents receive a monthly water bill that includes trash fees.  Questions can be routed to Republic Services Inglewood liaisons, Mari Morales or Inglewood Airport Area Chamber of Commerce Director Sam Pena at 310-436-7341.  Pena is the former mayor of the city of Maywood.

The staff report, approved by Inglewood’s city council, did not undergo the usual legal and financial review by the Administration office and this rate increase was signed by Yakema Decatur, Deputy to City Manager Artie Fields, who is consistently unavailable to sign city documents that require his signature.

View the full staff report by clicking here.