Garbage Rate Issues
ACES Waste Services is the only garbage collection service in Amador County. ACES has 9 service areas within Amador. Click here for a map of the service areas.
Each of the 5 city service areas is controlled by that city’s council. The Amador County Board of Supervisors controls the 4 other service areas. Each government entity has a franchise agreement with ACES for its service area. These agreements give ACES exclusive rights to the service area so that no other garbage company can compete with ACES in that area.
In exchange for the exclusive agreement, the council or board of supervisors has the responsibility to approve or reject rate increases proposed by ACES. Because the county follows Proposition 218, ratepayers in county-controlled districts have the final say on rate increases and a majority protest will stop a rate increase. However, the cities have not followed Prop 218 in the past, so city councils have had the last say in garbage rate increases. Unfortunately, council members do not take the time to fully understand the justification for increases and usually (if not always) approve the rates ACES requests. Without the ability to protest a rate increase via Prop 218, city residents cannot stop a rate increase.
In May 2012, Sutter Creek residents successfully sued the city because they did not follow Prop 218 for garbage rate increases. Subsequently, Sutter Creek citizens protested an increase that would have totalled 41% over 4.5 years. RPA is hopeful that the other four cities in Amador County (Ione, Jackson, Plymouth and Amador City) will also follow Prop 218 when ACES requests future rate increases.