AB 479, introduced in January by Assemblyman Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata), would raise the waste stream diversion rate for cities and counties from the current 50 percent to 60 percent by Jan. 1, 2015, and then to 75 percent by 2020. It also would raise the mandatory quarterly landfill fee from $1.40 per ton to $3.90 per ton on or after Jan. 1, 2010.
In April, the board had discussed the bill and sent it to the county's Solid Waste Task Force for consideration, as Lake County News has reported.
Last week, the group met and reached unanimous consensus to oppose the bill, Public Services Director Kim Clymire told the board Tuesday.
Clymire was clear about his opposition to the bill, pointing out that the county already pays the state to use its own landfill and does other “maddening” things like sending waste board out to teach the county how to recycle. He added that the state waste board is a “parking space” for appointments.
Clymire also voiced frustration over the state pushing Lake County to increase its diversion rates, when it's already well below the state average.
He said that, with construction down, Public Services' revenue is down by 20 percent at the transfer station and landfill.
Otherwise, he said the county is meeting its diversion rates, has a strong recycling program and affordable curbside recycling, with rates averaging about $11 a month.
Deputy Public Services Director Carolyn Chavez told the board that, when the state calculated the county's diversion rates back in 1992, there were several factors it didn't take into account, from illegal dumping to a bad economy. At that point, people simply weren't using the landfills very much.
“It's really easy to bash the state bureaucracy because it's so bad,” said Board Chair Denise Rushing.
But Rushing urged fellow board members to work with Chesbro, who she agreed didn't reach out to the county to find out the bill's possible ramifications. But it's a two-way street, and Rushing said the county should now reach out to Chesbro.
She said a lot of the things that make it into the landfill are created and not easily recycled. “At the local level we make choices about what to buy, what to recycle.”
Rushing said the county shouldn't have to try to reach diversion levels that aren't attainable, but preferred that the board send a letter to Chesbro and state Sen. Patricia Wiggins explaining that there are issues that need to be addressed in rural areas.
Supervisor Jeff Smith said it's the consumers who will pay for the bill ultimately. “They're just looking for more money to offset their poor judgment in budgets,” he said of the state, noting members of the public have enough financial struggles now as it is.
Chavez said the state's measure of pounds of garbage per person per day for Lake County is 4.1, well below the 5.8 that is the state average. “Right now they're all scrambling to justify their jobs.”
Supervisor Jim Comstock said he strongly opposed the bill. “This is a tax and no society has ever taxed itself into prosperity,” he said.
Supervisor Rob Brown said he also is against the bill. Brown said if the county needed to, it can raise its own fees.
As far as bashing the state, he said his concerns were specifically about Chesbro, “who I don't think is representing us in this case.” Brown suggested Chesbro is more interested in the waste board, a body which Brown accused him of having “milked” for a long time.
Brown said there was no use in writing a letter about the current bill. “They can't write it to where I could support it.”
Supervisor Anthony Farrington suggested the legislation could be gutted to meet the county's needs. Like Rushing, he suggested working with Chesbro, who has introduced other legislation that will benefit the county directly, specifically, in the funding authorization for the Middle Creek Restoration Project.
Politics is “part of the game that we all have to play,” Farrington said, worrying about Middle Creek being derailed because of an adversarial position.
“I don't believe that's compromise, Tony,” Brown replied, saying Chesbro is garnering “too much good press” over Middle Creek.
Farrington reminded the board that several years ago they took a vote of no confidence on a legislator. “All we had was no representation from that point forward.”
County Administrator Kelly Cox told the board that he doesn't support AB 479 and thinks the board should oppose it, too.
However, Cox said they shouldn't interpret the bill as Chesbro not wanting to work for Lake County. “I think he doesn't realize what the actual impact of this legislation is.”
Translating the bill's impacts into actual dollars, Cox – quoting Clymire's report to the board – said it would result in the county's current annual landfill fees to the state jumping from $70,000 to $290,000, which would require a tremendous rate increase.
“I don't believe that he'd want to do that,” Cox said of Chesbro. “He's trying to help us in a lot of things. This is an area where we need to let him know what the concerns are.”
Comstock noted of legislation, “when it's good it's good, when it's bad, it's bad,” and they need to oppose it while taking out all the personality issues.
Brown moved to send a letter opposing the legislation. However, he agreed to amend his motion to draft a letter with a more middle ground approach suggested by Farrington, who proposed adding the stipulation that the county would oppose AB 479 unless it was changed to address the county's concerns. Rushing added that those amendments would need to take into account goals appropriate for rural areas.
Comstock seconded the motion, which was approved 5-0.
Chesbro spokesman Andrew Bird told Lake County News on Tuesday that he can't comment on the county's concerns until he sees the letter the board voted to send.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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