§4261. Service charge for sewerage and garbage facilities

Where the revenues pledged to the payment of bonds under this Subpart are revenues of a utility comprised of sewerage facilities, or garbage facilities, the governing authority of the municipality may each year impose against the owners of all real property in the municipality a service charge for the facilities afforded by the utility, which charge shall not be a lien upon the property. The charges shall be sufficient to provide for the cost of operating and maintaining the utility and paying the interest and principal of the bonds secured by the revenues of the utility. No charge shall be made against the owner of any property which is not benefited by the utility. A list of the names of all owners against whom charges are so made and the amounts of the charge made against each owner may be certified by the governing authority to the official charged with the assessment of taxes against the property at such time and in such manner in each year as to permit the amount of the charge to be carried upon the assessment roll of the real property in the municipality. Each charge may be carried on the roll as a special item due by the owner of the property individually and may be identified on the roll as "Special Sewerage or Garbage Charge of ____________ (inserting the name of the municipal corporation)". The charges may be paid to the official who collects the general taxes assessed against the real property located in the municipality, and may be paid at the same time and in the same manner as the general taxes are paid. Where the ownership of any real property changes, the municipality may require any subsequent owner seeking sewerage or garbage service to apply therefor, whereupon the charges imposed against the owner may be assessed and collected in the manner hereinabove provided. The municipality may pay the tax collecting official the same commission on the amounts collected by him as he receives for the collection of ad valorem taxes, and may pay the assessing official a sum sufficient to reimburse him for the additional expenses occasioned by reason of listing the charges on the assessment roll. The amounts to be paid to the assessor and collector shall be considered one of the costs of operating and maintaining the utility.

Amended by Acts 1976, No. 461, §1.