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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3834 An ordinance establishing a sewer utility rate ~~~ credit for low income persons. THE CITY OF BREMERTON DOES HEREBY ORDAIN: SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF LOW INCOME UTILITY CREDIT PROGRAM. A program for credits to the billings for sewer utility services for certain low income persons is hereby established in order to provide necessary support for the poor. Such reductions are intended to offset recent rate increases for such utilities. The Treasurer's office is directed to administer said program. SECTION 2. QUALIFICATIONS. To implement the program provided for in Section 1 hereof "Utility Credits" shall be issued to each person who shows satisfactory proof that he or she: A. Has a maximum annual income, together with all persons in the household, below the ~overty line as established by the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, D.C.; provided, however, that no credit shall be given to any person whose maximum annual income, together with all other persons in the household, exceeds $12,000.00; and B. Lives in a residence served directly by the City's sewer facilities; and C. Is billed or is the spouse of a person billed by the City's sewer utilities or has resided for a period of not less than ninety (90) consecutive days in Bremerton, and currently lives in a rental unit in which the amounts of sewer rate increases affect the amount of rent charged, even though no one residing in said rental unit is billed directly; and D. Does not have more than $5,000.00 of easily convertible assets and no member of his household has more than $5,000.00 of easily convertible assets. For purposes of determining this amount, any real property, excluding his/her current residence, is an easily convertible asset. E. Persons whose residences are subsidized by the Bremerton Housing Authority or the Department of Housing and Urban Development are not eligible to receive a credit for sewer utility service. SECTION 3. VERIFICATION OF QUALIFICATIONS. A. All persons applying for the credit shall submit a completed and signed affidavit to the Treasurer's office on a form prepared by the Treasurer's office. They shall also submit a copy of their federal tax return, together with copies of federal tax returns of all other persons in the household, for the most recent tax year. 1 B. In order to remain eligible for the credit, applicants who are billed directly or are the spouse of a person billed directly must verify e~ery six months that they are still eligible for the credit and must reapply every twelve months by filing a new affidavit and tax return. C. In order to remain eligible for the credit applicants who reside in a rental unit in which no one residing in said unit is billed directly, must verify their place of residence and eligibility every three months and reapply every twelve months by filing a new affidavit and tax return. In addition, such recipients must notify the Treasurer's office immediately if they move from the rental unit for which they are receiving a credit voucher. SECTION 4. AMOUNT OF THE CREDIT. Persons qualified by the City Treasurer's office as eligible recipients of the sewer utility credit provided for in Section 2 shall be granted credits in the following monthly, or monthly equivalent amounts: A. Those persons living in residences subject to the single family rates: $5.00. B. Those persons living in residences subject to the multiple family rate: $5.00. SECTION 5. PROCEDURE FOR ADMINISTERING THE SEWER UTILITY CREDIT. A. For qualified persons who receive a sewer bill directly, the proper credit shall be made on the bill as a reduction to the amount which would otherwise be payable. B. For qualified persons who do not receive a sewer utility bill directly but who may pay such utility charges indirectly as a part of their rental payment: 1) The sewer utility credit applicant shall submit to the Treasurer's office in addition to the information required under Section 2, an affidavit signed by the tenant and landlord establishing that the tenant is renting from a person, firm or corporation holding a Bremerton sewer account. 2) In order to remain eligible for the utility credit, the tenant must verify his place of residence every three months. 3) Each billing period the City Treasurer's office will mail the eligible applicant a voucher for the amount of the credit. Said voucher shall identify the sewer account holder, the billing period during which the credit will be honored by the City, the amount of the credit, and shall state: "This voucher, when submitted to the City Treasurer, will be applied against the sewer utility bill of the above account. Property owners and managers are asked to assist in providing the benefit by accepting the vouchers in part payment of rent, and using them in paying the bill." 4) The voucher shall be submitted by the tenant in partial payment of rent for the month(s) identified on the voucher. 5) The utility account holder shall submit the voucher(s) in partial payment of the month or bimonthly sewer utility bill identified in the voucher. SECTION 6. PENALTY FOR FALSE INFORMATION. A. The willful provision to the City of Bremerton of false information in application for a sewer utility rate credit shall forfeit the citizen's eligibility for future credits and the citizen shall be required to repay the amount of the credit received based upon such false information. B. Any person who willfully provides to the City of Bremerton false information in an application for a sewer utility rate credit is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be subject to up to a $300 fine and/or 90 days in jail. THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE JULY 1, 1983.  APPROVED by the City Council on the first reading this day of M~eh, 1983. PASSED by the City Council of the City of Bremerton, Washington, signed by the Mayor and attested by the City Clerk in authentication of such passage this ~O day of 4~a~, 1983. MCfRR~E DAWKINS Mayor ATTEST: KATHLEEN L. McCLUSKEY ~ City Clerk