Section 2053-G. Charges by the authority; method of collection

The
  authority may fix and collect, on any equitable basis,  rates,  rentals,
  fees  and  other  charges  for  the  use of facilities of or services or
  commodities provided by the authority, including the availability of any
  of the foregoing from the authority. Such rates, rentals, fees and other
  charges may be  fixed  and  collected  from  any  person  to  whom  such
  facilities,  services  or  commodities are provided by or made available
  from the authority, including generators of solid waste  and  owners  of
  real  property upon which solid waste is generated. Such rates, rentals,
  fees  and  other  charges  may  be  the  same  or  different  for   each
  classification  of user or service recipient and may, by way of example,
  reflect the source and composition of solid waste and  may  provide  for
  fee reductions to the users or service recipients in proportion to waste
  generated  or to reflect participation in source separation programs. In
  any instance where the county is or  would  be  required  by  law,  with
  respect  to  solid  waste  management,  to  conduct  a public hearing in
  connection with a user  or  rate,  rental,  fee  or  other  charge,  the
  authority shall not establish, fix, or revise any classification of user
  or service recipient, rate, rental, fee or other charge unless and until
  the authority has held a public hearing at which interested persons have
  had  an  opportunity  to be heard concerning the same; provided however,
  that if the county has conducted a public  hearing  in  connection  with
  such  rate,  rental,  fee  or  other  charge, the authority shall not be
  required to hold a public hearing. Notice of  any  such  public  hearing
  shall be published at least ten days before the date set therefor, in at
  least  one  newspaper  of general circulation in the county. Such notice
  shall set forth the date, time and  place  of  such  hearing  and  shall
  include  a  brief  description  of  the matters to be considered at such
  meeting. A copy of the notice shall be available for inspection  by  the
  public.  At  any  such  hearing,  any  interested  persons shall have an
  opportunity to be heard concerning the matters under consideration.  Any
  decision by the authority at such public hearing shall be in writing and
  be  made  available in the office of the authority for public inspection
  during regular office hours.
    All rates, rentals,  fees  and  other  charges  for  the  use  of  the
  facilities  of, or services provided or made available by, the authority
  and billed directly by the authority to the user  or  service  recipient
  pursuant  to  a classification of users or service recipients adopted by
  the authority as herein provided shall be a lien upon the real  property
  upon  which,  or in connection with which, services are provided or made
  available, as and from the first date fixed for payment of  such  rates,
  rentals,  fees  and  other  charges. Any such lien shall take precedence
  over all other liens or encumbrances, except taxes or  assessments.  The
  treasurer  of the authority shall prepare and transmit to the respective
  legislative body of each municipality, on or before  the  first  day  of
  December in each year, a list of those properties within each respective
  municipality  using  such  facilities  or  for  which such services were
  provided or made available and from which the payment of rates, rentals,
  fees and other charges are in arrears for a period  of  thirty  days  or
  more  after  the last day fixed for payment of such rates, rentals, fees
  and other charges without penalty.   The  list  shall  contain  a  brief
  description of such properties, the names of the persons or corporations
  liable to pay for the same, and the amount chargeable to each, including
  penalties  and  interest computed to December thirty-first of that year.
  Each governing body shall levy such sums against the  properties  liable
  and  shall  state  the amount thereof in a separate column in the annual
  tax rolls of the various municipalities under the heading  "solid  waste
  disposal charge".  Such amounts, when collected by the several municipal

  collectors or receivers of taxes, shall be paid over to the treasurer of
  the  authority.  Alternatively, the legislative body of any municipality
  which provides solid waste collection service to all or a portion of the
  properties  within  its  boundaries using municipally owned and operated
  collection vehicles may execute  an  agreement  with  the  authority  to
  collect  and  be  responsible  for  the  collection of, on behalf of the
  authority, any overdue or  delinquent  rates,  rentals,  fees  or  other
  charges  and  such  municipality shall have the power to pay directly to
  the authority such overdue or delinquent rates, rentals, fees and  other
  charges  whether  or  not  they are actually collected from the users or
  service recipients of such municipality. All of the  provisions  of  the
  tax  law  of  the  state  governing enforcement and collection of unpaid
  taxes or assessments for special improvements not inconsistent  herewith
  shall  apply  to  the collection of such unpaid rates, rentals, fees and
  other charges.