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Home My WebLink About2344 Utility Credits and Program for Low-income and Low-income Disabled ResidentsORDINANCE NO. 2344 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 13.24 OF THE PORT TOWNSEND MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO UTILITY CREDITS AND ESTABLISHING NEW PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME AND LOW INCOME DISABLED RESIDENTS AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF APRIL 1, 1993. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND, IN REGULAR SESSION ASSEMBLED, DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Chapter 13.24 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: ChaPter 13,24 LOW,INCOME AND DISABLED UTILITY CREDIT PROGRAM Sections: 13.24.010 13.24.020 13.24.030 13.24.040 13.24.050 13.24.060 13.24.070 Program established--Purpose--Administrative authority. Utility credits--Eligibility--Requirements. Utility credits--Eligibility--Time limit. Utility credits--Issued as billing credits--Amounts designated. Utility credits--Manner of issuance. Utility credits--Apportionment--Authority. Unlawful acts designated--Penalty. 13.24.010 Program established--Pu_rpose--Administrative authority. A program for credits to the billings for water, sewer and Storm drainage utility services provided by the city for certain recipients of Supplemental Security Income (hereinafter SSI), Social Security Disability Income (hereinafter SSDD. pursuant to 42 United States Code ~':~-~ .... , as now or hereafter amended, and certain other disabled and !0w income persons as hereinafter defined, is established in order to provide necessary support for the poor and disabled. The City Clerk-Treasurer is authorized and directed to administer the program and in such connection may promulgate forms and administrative regulations from time to time, to carry out the intent and purpose of this chapter, (Ord. 2120 §1, 1988: Ord. 2110 §1, 1988). 13.24.020 Utility credits --Eligibility--Requirements. A. To implement the program provided for in this chapter, utility credits shall be issued to each person who shows satisfactory proof that he or she: 1. a. Receives Supplemental Security Income pursuant to 42 USC Sections 1381-1383, as now or hereafter amended; or household; 3. b. Receives Supplemental Security Disability Income pursuant to federal law. as now or hereafter amended, and is able to establish that current annualized household income from all sources will not exceed eighteen thousand (18.000) dollars' or I~. Is eligible for and in fact receives a federal, state or private disability pension, and whos~ is able to establish that Current annualized household income from all '~'~': ..... :-~'"'~:-~ '~'~ ~' ~':~ ~-" ............. ' .... ' does not exceed the sum of .............. eighteen thousand (18.000) dollars per year; or d. Has a total current annualized household income from all sources of one hundred percent or less of poverty level based upon total household size using poverty level c4alculations established by the State of Washington for Jefferson County or by the Federal Government if State calculations are not available. Is a single occupant or the head of a household or the spouse of the head of the Resides in a dwelling unit served directly by the city's water, sewer or storm drainage utilities; 4. Is billed or is the spouse of a person billed by the water, sewer or storm drainage utilities of the city; og4h4s-see~'~. The applicant shall provide the city clerk-treasurer with a current statement of eligibility for SSI, SSDI or such disability pension c,rol-,~-,~:~' i,-~'": .... .... e3 ~, ...... :":' .... ~,~o, or proof of blindness, and such statement shall not be more than three months old. B. Applicants, under oath or penalty of perjury, shall verify such information and provide such other data as are deemed appropriate, upon forms and in the manner determined by the city clerk-treasurer. (Ord. 2120 {}2, 1988: Ord. 2110 {}2, 1988). 13.24.030 Utility_ credits--Eligibility_--Time limit. Eligibility for utility credits provided for by this chapter shall be for a period of one year, or so long as the applicant continues to be eligible for~,~,~,~' ,,.^- ,,~ ,~.o,,,,~,:'~:~':':"' pent, it, n, a utility credit under the terms of Section 13.24.020 above, whichever period is shorter. Applications shall be made annually to renew eligibility for utility credits and the credit shall expire on December 31st of each ye, ar. Where the recipient of a utility_ credit either receives income which will no longer allow the recipient to be eligible for the credit, or is no longer disabled or otherwise eligible for the utility credit, such person shall immediately notify the Clerk/Treasurer of such change in status to allow the utility credit to be discontinued. Where a utility credit has been received after a ~rson has become ineligible, a repayment of past credits shall be made or shall be added to the current utility, billing for such person. (Ord. 2120 {}3, 1988: Ord. 2110 {}3, 1988). 13.24.040 Utility credits--Issued as billing credits--Amounts designated. Persons qualified by the city clerk-treasurer as eligible recipients of utility credits provided for in this chapter shall be granted billing credits in the following stated monthly, or monthly equivalent amounts, provided, however, that in no case shall the amount of the billing credit granted for utility service exceed the amount owing for that service. A. Sewer: $12.00/month; B Water: e~ an $5 00/month :- ' ....... e,~ ~r~,_~_,t. _., ~, tc;wn; C. Storm Drainage: $2.00/month (Ord. 2110 {}4, 1988). 13,24.050 Utility credits--Manner of issuance, Qualified persons receiving sewer, water or storm drainage utilities services shall receive utility credits as provided for in this chapter, or in equivalent mounts should the billing period be other than monthly, provided, however, that no qualified person shall receive or accept utility credits to more than one utility bill for the same billing period. The credits shall be made as follows: A. For qualified persons who receive a sewer, water or storm drainage utility 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, water or storm drainage utility bill directly but who pay such utility charges indirectly as part of their rental payment, the proper credit shall be made in the manner determined by the city clerk-treasurer upon satisfactory proof in writing that such utility charges in fact are paid by the qualified person indirectly as part of their rental payment. (Ord. 2110 §5, 1988). 13,24.060 Utility_ credits-Ap_t~ortionment--Authority. The city clerk-treasurer is authorized to apportion the total amount of utility credits made to bills as provided for in this chapter. (Ord. 2110 §6, 1988). 13,24.070 Unlawful acts designated--Penalty. A. The following acts are unlawful. 1. To accept or receive any utility credit provided for by this chapter when or during such time that the person accepting or receiving the same is not eligible; 2. To make any false or untrue statement on any application, form or document filed to qualify for a utility credit, or to continue receiving utility credits under this chapter. B. Any such violation shall be a misdemeanor, and punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars, or by up to ninety days in jail, or by both such fine and imprisonment. In addition, the city shall be entitled to recover the amount represented by any utility credit which was accepted, received or allowed to any person not then eligible to receive the same, and the city clerk-treasurer is authorized to add the amounts entitled by the city to be recovered to subsequent utility bills of the person responsible for the same. (Ord. 2110 §7, 1988). Section 2. This ordinance shall become effective on April 1, 1993, upon passage and after publication in the form and manner provided by law. Read for the fa'st, second and third time~,aXl~ lassed by the City Council for the City of Port Townsend and signed and approved~ ~this 't-.,s~-, day of ,fqh~.t-e..~ , 1993.MTbr, b ~Clise Al~proved as to form: ^tte) David A. Grove, Clerk/Treasurer Den~ McLerran, City Attorney 23gq POVERTY LEVEL CALCULATION (AS OF JANUARY, 1993) HOUSEHOLD SIZE ANNUAL INCOME 1 $ 6,816 2 9,192 3 11,580 4 13,956 5 16,332 6 18,720 7 21,096 8 23,472 beyond 8 2,376 per person