Article published August 05, 2009
PROPOSAL FOR TOLEDO
Council plan links recycling incentives to trash fee increase
By IGNAZIO MESSINA
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Two Toledo councilmen last night offered a "more palatable" way to increase the trash fee charged to city residents by introducing a recycling incentive program that lets people get coupons for groceries and other goods.
But because the recycling rewards program - which was presented by Councilmen Joe McNamara and Steven Steel - was combined legislatively with Mayor Carty Finkbeiner's request to increase the refuse fee, many on council were skeptical.
"Marrying the refuse collection fee and the recycling incentive program made it more palatable for Councilman Steel and myself," said Mr. McNamara, council's president. "The savings [that] people would receive through the program would be three times the increase in the trash fee."
Council has for months refused to consider approving Mayor Finkbeiner's plan to increase the monthly trash collection fee from $8.50 to $10 per month for those who don't recycle and from $1 to $7 per month for those who recycle.
Council yesterday heard a presentation from RecycleBank, a company that establishes reward programs in numerous cities throughout the country. The company tracks the tonnage of recycling along a route and assigns points to the weight, said John Getzloff, the company's Midwest regional sales manager.
Mr. Getzloff said the average Toledoan would receive $240 a year worth of incentives for participating in the program."This program would help Toledoans pay for their groceries, protect the environment, and promote local businesses all at the same time" Mr. McNamara said.
A polling of 11 councilmen last night by The Blade found a lack of the needed seven votes for both of the mayor's measures to bolster city revenues: increasing the trash fee and collecting more income tax from Toledoans who work outside the city.
Nine councilmen - Mike Craig, Michael Ashford, Lindsay Webb, Steven Steel, Tom Waniewski, Frank Szollosi, George Sarantou, Wilma Brown, and D. Michael Collins - said they would vote against the trash free increase if it were presented alone.
Mr. McNamara said he was undecided and Betty Shultz said she would "probably vote to approve" the increase.
Councilman Phillip Copeland attended last night's council meeting but left early and could not be reached for comment later last night.
Mr. Ashford, Mr. Wa-
niewski, Mr. Szollosi, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Craig said they would vote against legislation that increased the trash fee, even if it included authorization to begin a recycling incentive program such as that administered for a fee by RecycleBank.
Ms. Webb, Mr. Sarantou, and Ms. Brown said they were undecided on that vote.
Even if an ordinance simultaneously approving the trash collection fee increase and a recycling incentive program was approved by council, there would be no guarantee Mr. Finkbeiner would agree to negotiate a contract with RecycleBank.
It was unclear yesterday how much the contract would cost. The mayor refused to be interviewed last night.
Mr. Ashford, Mr. Szollosi, and Mr. Collins each stressed that they supported a recycling incentive program, but not if it were tied to the trash collection fee increase.
Mr. Finkbeiner also wants council to approve his request to cut the 100 percent tax credit given to Toledo residents who work and pay taxes in another locale.
Eight councilmen last night said they would oppose that idea: Ms. Webb, Mr. Steel, Mr. Waniewski, Mr. Szollosi, Mr. Sarantou, Mr. McNamara, Mr. Ashford, and Mr. Collins.
Mr. Craig, Ms. Brown, and Mrs. Shultz said they would support it.
"I think it would chase people out of the city of Toledo," Mr. McNamara said.
The city's 2009 general fund deficit, after savings from the recently approved firefighters union contract, is about $8.9 million.
Council has set aside $3.9 million of 2009 capital improvement funding in anticipation of voters approving the "Safety First Plan" so it could apply that money to reduce the 2009 deficit.
Mr. Szollosi last night suggested council pay the remaining $5 million deficit for 2009 next year with money from the city's 2010 capital improvement plan budget.
Council will hold a finance committee meeting at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow to discuss the trash fee, the recycling incentive program, and Mr. Szollosi's suggestion.
In other business last night, council unanimously approved accepting a grant from the Justice Department's COPS Hiring Recovery Program worth $7.1 million over three years. It requires the city to maintain a minimum police manning level of 564 sworn officers for four years.
Mr. Finkbeiner on Saturday said the city would recall 31 laid off police officers today with the funding from a federal grant.
Council last night also:
•Voted 10-0 to revise a city law that lets nuisance inspectors ticket vehicles parked on residents' private property. Mrs. Shultz and Mr. Copeland were not present for the vote.
The move changes the law to allow people to park on an "unpaved driveway that is a prior nonconforming use of the property if a variance permitting the use has been approved."
•Voted 8-4 to issue $12.2 million in bonds to purchase 40 automated garbage trucks, which would be paid for through the city's general fund with savings from laying off refuse collectors.
Mr. Ashford, Mr. Waniewski, Mr. Steel, and Mr. Copeland voted no.
Contact Ignazio Messina at:
imessina@theblade.com
or 419-724-6171.
Permanent Link
|
|
 |
|
Search
advertisement
