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By Miriam Raftery
July 5, 2020 (El Cajon) – The city of El Cajon has launched a public outreach strategy to educate the public about change in billing for sewer services. On May 23, the Council voted to put sewer taxes onto the County of San Diego’s property tax roll, a move that reduced the approved rate by 2%, according to a memo sent to the Mayor and City Council on July 2 from City Manager Graham Mitchell.
Councilman Gary Kendrick says the move was necessary to prevent a $750,000 increased cost to taxpayers. “We used to outsource sewer tax collection to a company, but because so many counties were doing away with that and putting sewer taxes on property taxes, that company went out of business,” he told ECM. “So we put it out to bid.” But hiring a new company would have cost $750,000 more than in the past.”
The average El Cajon sewer bill is $40 a month, he says. In the past, customers received six bimonthly bills each year. On the county property tax bill, customers could received one annual bill, according to the city’s proposed graphics or the campaign. Kendrick says a consumer could opt to pay monthly if they have an impound account
The city has, in the past, had to turn unpaid sewer bills over to a collection agency and at times, place liens against properties for unpaid bills, meaning the city would be repaid before a property could be sold.
Now with the county handling collections, “If you don’t pay a property tax bill for five years, then they can auction off your house,” said Kendrick.
“Since last Friday, the City has fielded approximately 300 phone calls and about 120 emails” on the issue, Mitchell’s July 2 memo states. Notices of the sewer billing transition were sent to landlords and tenants on June 23 and a public hearing was held on the subject.
The public outreach includes a new website at www.cityofelcajon.us/sewer as well as flyers, digital ads, and videos to post on social media in English, Arabic and Spanish, with newly created branding on all materials.
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