LUSJ reporting today on the continuing 2010 city budget planning and then the budget meeting last night and the focus on recycling. The Buffalo News is also reporting.
It appears there was a change in the recycling plan that was discussed as Modern Disposal changed their bid (making it more expensive) and a city employee based service (picking up and delivering it to Allied in Kenmore) was submitted in its place. To get this city based option going it would have cost $102,000 or $0.16 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The initial damage for recycling? $10.40 a year for a $65,000 house. That's a value meal at Subway. But public reaction at the meeting was still on the negative side. I'd only be hesitant on any long term costs of adding city employees.
Tucker was quoted as saying their is still hope.
Others argued it’s shameful that Lockport is one of the only municipalities in the region that still doesn’t offer a curbside recycling program. Instituting one now is about playing catch-up environmentally and morally, they said. ......
The Council will hold a roll call vote on the final version of the 2010 budget next Wednesday. In the interim, Tucker predicted, “there’ll be a lot of debate about recycling. I think this Council pretty well understands, if there is a tax increase it can’t be any more than 3 percent. ... Can we have that and recycling? We’ll see.”If you are for it, be sure to let your council member know. The decision for this year will be coming next Wednesday.
Over all the budget is being whittled down with help from tapping reserve funds ($1.1 million).
During an afternoon work session, the Council approved some moves suggested by Mayor Michael W. Tucker and City Clerk and Budget Director Richard P. Mullaney that chopped the prospective tax increase from 12 percent to 3.86 percent
8 comments:
You know what? Just like Paul Oates said on WLVL, if you want recycling so bad, you can take the stuff to the landfill yourself. Buy a few totes, and drive out a few times a month. It's free, and it will still make you feel better about yourself.
Heck, if you have a van, suv, or other truck, ask your neighbor if you can pick up their recycleables.
How many lazy people will actually do that? I do it because it's absolutely ABSURD that Lockport STILL does not have recycling but it's doubtful other people will. People can't even be bothered to pick a piece of garbage up off their lawn, let alone take in their own recycling. Someone mentioned there used to be bins right in the city too. Where did those go?
An older gentleman got up at the hearing and said it's been talked about way back to the 60s and still these incompetent fools in government can't figure it out. We're on of the last hold outs. Do other cities and towns know something we don't? It can't possibly be this hard.
Well Liz, then don't force me to pay for your lazyness.
Recycling, for the most part, is a feel-good enterprise. The majority of the recycling industry would collapse without gov't subsidies, and mandated recycling.
Please watch this.. (saying this knowing I HATE when someone says watch this... but this is at least entertaining, and doesn't require tin foil hats)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1444391672891013193#
Caution, saucy language.
*MY* Lazyness? Didn't I just say that I drag my recyclables to the dump every week to recycle them myself?
Recycling is NOT a "feel good enterprise". We are stewards of this land to our grandchildren. It's an ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.
And the bottom line? It would have cost us about $10 a year. GIVE ME AN F-IN BREAK. The city would save that in dump fees from the reduced trash placed at the curb.
Re-reading my post I implied I take my recyclables myself but didn't actually state that. So here it is in plain English, I do in fact, every week, drag my recyclables to the dump myself because we, having the highest taxes in the nation, can't seem to divert $10 per tax payer from our already obnoxiously overpaid do nothing city officials to find a way to have the city pick up our recyclables.
Ah, well then my apologizes Liz. I must have not caught that.
But it is a feel good enterprise. In some cases (paper), recycling actually causes MORE damage then it proposes to save us from. Or look at the cities in China that are a few houses away from a toxic waste dump from electronic 'recycling'. Again, check out the video link I posted above (It's long, but at least entertaining).
I'm all for not being wasteful, but when you focus on the feeling good part, and not the end results, you end up with bad policy.
http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_279003613.html
as of now it's dead...maybe next year ;) Though next year (2011) we already have to cover the $1.1 mil they pulled out of the reserve fund this upcoming year (2010).
I have no problem with recycling. I absolutely agree that we are behind the times when it comes to a curbside recycling program. However, our city is comprised of 60% rental units. Many of these people can barely put their garbage out correctly. (I see it all the time- garbage all over !!!) Do you really think they'll comply?
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