San Marino : Trash Plan Put on Hold
Complaints by residents may scuttle a proposal to hire one trash hauler to replace the three companies that service San Marino now, city officials said.
The contracts of Rodriguez Brothers, Browning Ferris Industries and Community Disposal, due to expire March 31, will be extended three months while the council consider its options, City Manager Keith Till said this week.
Residents complained at the March 10 council meeting that consolidating trash service would limit free enterprise and the quality of service. The city considered moving to a single company to save money.
“The city is expected to lose another $440,000 in property taxes from the state next year. It has to come from somewhere,” Till said.
He said the city could get $280,000 from a fee charged to an exclusive hauler which would not add to customers’ trash bills.
At the last council meeting, Mayor Eugene H. Dryden suggested that those opposed to a single hauler should come up with ideas on how to make up the deficit.
City officials say that without a franchise fee from haulers, the council will be forced to increase the utility tax by 2% to 7%, or cut tree and road maintenance, or implement a lighting and maintenance district at a cost of $103 per household.
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