Investigate Republic Services and their corporate law firm Williams-Starbuck. Stop Abusive Collections. Return Improperly Collected Money.

To Nevada’s congressional delegation, state legislators, Clark County commissioners, Las Vegas city officials, and every candidate seeking these offices in November 2026:

Enough is enough. No family should face losing its home over a disputed garbage bill. No small business should be pushed toward closure by mounting penalties and legal fees it cannot afford to challenge.

We call for an independent investigation into Republic Services’ billing and collection practices in Las Vegas and Clark County, including the conduct of outside collection attorneys and the government rules that authorize these practices.

We demand independent federal and state investigations into Republic Services’ billing and collection practices, the related conduct of the Williams-Starbuck law firm, and the government rules and oversight that permit these practices.

In my cases involving Republic Services, attorneys Zachary T. Williams, Drew J. Starbuck, and Aaron Tippets of WILLIAMS-STARBUCK are demanding more than $60,000 in legal fees, increasing by approximately $10,000 a month—even before trial. That is separate from the underlying charges, interest, penalties, and lien fees—and my own legal bills already exceed $15,000.

Zachary T. Williams wrote to us:

“We have well over 100 judgments this year alone granting our legal fees as reasonable...we also had the Nevada Supreme Court grant us upwards of $40,000 in legal fees against a homeowner”

More than 100 judgments in one year. Upwards of $40,000 in attorney fees against homeowners and small businesses? Court approval does not answer the basic question: Why can a garbage-billing dispute become a threat to someone’s home and financial survival? THIS IS UNHEARD OF IN THE UNITED STATES AND ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

We also demand a practical way for current and former property owners to recover service charges, penalties, interest, lien fees, and attorney fees found to have been improperly collected.

The complaints demand answers—not excuses: Investigate the conduct—not just the alleged unpaid balances.
Affected property owners report:

Being billed after asking to end service, without clear answers about cancellation requirements.
Being told to prove they have alternative garbage service without clear instructions about where to submit that proof.
Having tenants’ payments refused while unpaid balances and additional fees grow.
Being denied access to dumpster service or alternative service arrangements while charges continue.
Receiving inadequate responses to billing questions, then being held responsible for the resulting penalties.
Facing liens, lawsuits, and threats to their homes over disputed charges.
Specific residents and businesses report facing more than $60,000 in disputed attorney-fee demands, on top of other charges.

These allegations require a thorough, public examination. A homeowner should not have to choose between paying a disputed demand and risking financial ruin to contest it.

The organizers specifically identify Zoia Tanksly, a Republic Services employee responsible for billing and liens, as someone whose handling of billing inquiries and disputed accounts should be examined. Investigators should determine whether requests were answered and properly processed, whether fees accumulated because of administrative failures, and whether property owners were unfairly held responsible.

An unanswered request should not become a bill for thousands of dollars. A company’s mistake should not become a homeowner’s financial disaster.

For older residents, people with disabilities, caregivers, working families, and small-business owners, that is not a fair choice.

Examine Williams Starbuck’s attorney-fee demands.
The organizers identify Williams-Starbuck and corporate attorneys Zachary T. Williams, Drew J. Starbuck, and Aaron Tippets as participants in Republic Services’ collection cases against home owners and businesses.

Victims report that these attorneys have often sought more than $60,000 in legal fees in those matters, with demands increasing by approximately $10,000 per month before trial, amid coercing and pressuring homeowners and small businesses into settling for tens of thousands of dollars out of court, with the prospect of having to pay tens of thousands of dollars more if they decide to proceed to trials (where trial results are reportedly nearly 100% ruled in favor of Republic Services under often highly questionable circumstances in our courts, as bragged about by Williams-Starbuck attorneys). These figures and the work claimed to justify them require independent examination.

We demand action in five areas.

Independent federal and state investigations. We call on the Nevada Attorney General and appropriate federal enforcement agencies to examine billing practices, service disputes, payment refusals, liens, attorney-fee demands, and the government oversight of these activities. Investigators should also examine whether conflicts of interest or official failures have undermined consumer protections. The review must be independent of the offices and organizations whose conduct is being examined.
A pause on disputed enforcement while complaints receive meaningful review. Create a lawful process to pause escalating penalties, lien enforcement, and foreclosure proceedings involving credible billing disputes. Residents deserve a real opportunity to challenge charges before their property is put at risk.
Refunds and restitution where wrongdoing is established. Establish an accessible claims process to return improperly collected payments and provide other relief authorized by law. Review disputed service charges, interest, penalties, lien fees, and attorney fees—including cases involving former property owners. Where improper charges total tens of thousands of dollars, relief must reflect the full harm established by the evidence.
Clear rules and reasonable limits. Require written cancellation instructions, a clearly identified destination for proof of alternative service, prompt responses to disputes, and transparent payment policies. Establish safeguards against excessive collection costs and attorney fees. A company's failure to explain or process a request should not become a financial windfall at a customer’s expense.
Public accountability and affordable appeals. Review the laws, ordinances, contracts, and collection powers governing garbage service. Create an independent, affordable dispute process so residents do not have to finance a major lawsuit just to get a billing problem heard.

Investigators should determine:

Whether the underlying service charges were accurate and legally owed.
Whether the legal work billed was necessary, adequately documented, and reasonably priced.
Whether assigning multiple attorneys produced excessive or duplicative charges.
Whether escalating fee demands and the threat of property loss pressured owners into paying disputed amounts rather than obtaining a meaningful hearing.

Every candidate owes voters an answer before Election Day.

Will you support an independent investigation?

Will you support restitution for improper charges?

Will you change the rules that allow a disputed garbage bill to threaten someone’s home?

Do not tell residents merely to “work it out” with the same organizations whose actions they are challenging. Publish your position, identify the action you will take, and give voters a timeline.

When will government finally say: “Enough is enough—let’s stop abusive billing and collection practices in Clark County”?

We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for accurate bills, fair procedures, reasonable fees, and accountability when the rules are broken.

Working families, older residents, people with disabilities, caregivers, and small-business owners cannot afford another election cycle of excuses.

Sign this petition. Share it with your neighbors. Ask every candidate to commit publicly to reform before the November 2026 election.

Protect our homes. Protect our businesses. Investigate the complaints. Return money improperly taken. Fix the rules.

(Note: if you live or own a business in the district of congresswoman Susie Lee, please reach out to her office here to express your concern regarding this matter. Other decision makers have been listed below. Please feel free to provide the names of additional government officials who need to be informed and submit tips and reports to https://tips.fbi.gov/ and https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ and report all persons you believe are involved in this racket by Republic Services and Williams-Starbuck law firm)

Lynn Goya

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