Monday, March 25, 2013
A Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the county in September, and on Monday the Georgia Supreme Court reaffirmed that ruling.
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Monday, March 25
Loganville resident Verlin Gilliam was not successful in his attempt to challenge the Gwinnett County's trash plan and nor was Snellville resident Robert Mesteller. But Mesteller did not give up quite so easily, appealing the ruling that went against him all the way up to the Georgia Supreme Court. That too has been struck down though, according to The Gwinnett Daily Post. Mesteller’s November appeal of a ruling in favor of the county's trash plan, including the procedure whereby payment is collected, in advance, on the property tax bill, was ruled constitutional by the Georgia Supreme Court on Monday, The Gwinnett Daily Post reports. Mesteller's attorney had argued that a fee, as in the case of solid waste collection, is not a tax and …
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Gwinnett trash collection back in courts, at Capitol. County warns outcome of either could result in increased costs for county residents.
The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments by attorneys for Robert Mesteller, a Snellville resident who is taking on Gwinnett County about its way of collecting payment on sanitation services. The issue is that the money is collected on tax bills, something Mesteller claims is illegal and unconstitutional. The outcome of Mesteller’s appeal won’t be heard for several weeks. However, even if it fails, state Rep. Brett Harrell, whose district includes Snellville and parts of Loganville and Grayson, is also taking on the issue. He is re-introducing legislation in January to prevent municipalities using tax bills to collect anything other than taxes. Harrell said his reason for re-introducing House Bill 291 is not opposition to any …
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Gwinnett’s trash plan will be argued in front of the Georgia Supreme Court Monday. A Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the county in September.
Loganville resident Verlin Gilliam was not successful in his attempt to challenge the law and nor was Snellville resident Robert Mesteller. But Mesteller is not giving up. According to The Gwinnett Daily Post, Mesteller’s attorney, Chris McClurg, will argue the case in front of the Georgia Supreme Court Monday. This is an appeal to a Superior Court judgment on the issue that went against Mesteller in September. Mesteller contends that a fee, as in the case of solid waste collection, is not a tax and should not be added to a tax bill. In the summer of 2011, the courts ruled that the county has the authority to contract with private companies to provide trash serves and to charge the fees on the property tax bill and collect the fees as far …
Patrick T. Malone
7:25 am on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
It is about time someone pointed out the increased cost that would be passed on through a separate or modified billing system. Also would be interesting to know how many homeowners were foreclosed because they didn't pay their trash bill. more ›