East Baton Rouge Parish
Office of the Mayor-President

The monthly residential Solid Waste User Fee is scheduled to increase from $15.50 to $19.00 effective January 1, 2008. The City-Parish is implementing a Residential Solid Waste User Fee Assistance Program for low-income residents. This program will allow the fee increase of $3.50 per month to be waived for eligible residents.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Office of Social Services will begin taking applications for the Residential Solid Waste User Fee Assistance Program on December 3, 2007. Applications will be taken Mondays through Wednesdays, during the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, at the application sites listed below.

To be eligible for Residential Solid Waste User Fee Assistance, a household must meet the income eligibility requirements listed below and have an active residential solid waste fee account for which the applicant is responsible. Certification of eligibility is good for a 12-month period. There will be no retroactive adjustments after March 31, 2008. Residents in the city limits of Baker and Zachary are not eligible since they do not receive solid waste service administered by East Baton Rouge Parish.

INCOME GUIDELINES BY FAMILY SIZE
(Based on 60% of Louisiana State Median Income)

Add $84 to monthly income for each additional family member.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY

1. Proof of income for all members of your household. Acceptable documentation includes:

• Last four check stubs or the last two if you have recently begun working.

• Food Stamp printout or budget slips for the current month.
   
  Or
   

• A completed Verification of Employment (VOE) form from your employer (form available upon request).

• Documentation of any unearned income – Social Security, SSI, alimony, retirement benefits, worker’s compensation, unemployment, and child support.

• Self-employed – The most recent federal income tax return with all attachments. If no return has been filed, documentation of your monthly earnings and/or losses.

• If you have been terminated from your job, a copy of your termination letter.

• If you have zero income, a statement of how the household’s expenses are paid. If you are receiving contributions from friends and family, you must provide a signed written statement from those persons stating how much they contribute and how often they contribute.

2. Proof of social security numbers for all persons in your household. Acceptable documentation includes:

• Original social security cards.

• Picture identification card (ID card for head of household).

3. Ages of all members of your household.
    

4. A residential solid waste user fee bill (usually included on water bill) from within the last six-month period.

APPLICATION SITES: (SEE ZIP CODE FOR NEAREST SITE)

Note:  Due to the large volume of applicants, the number of customers may be limited each day.

For more information regarding this program, contact the Service Fee Business Office at (225) 389-5378 or the 311 Call Center.