Submitted by Greenwich Haulers
Your Garbage, Your Choice: An analysis of public services
Leave in Taxes
Positives:
• Fairest way to Taxpayers – Most cost effective
– “Town regulated” – controlled thru residential taxes
• Tax write off – up to $10,000 (residential property owners) if MSW left in taxes
• Potential savings of $1000’s on Town bids – Nathaniel Witherell, Public Schools, Government Buildings, Beaches/Parks and Housing Authority.
• Traffic at Holly Hill and surrounding Neighborhood streets will remain the same; no increased traffic
• Already a line item in the public works budget – paid thru property taxes.
• A system that has worked successfully for more than 75 years.
• No illegal dumping behind businesses and shopping centers from citizens
• No additional employees at Holly Hill
• No additional administrative cost for Holly Hill
Negatives:
• Increase in mill rate to offset increased costs of 3.7 million less than 1% of the budget
• Continued no charge for tax exempt buildings nonprofit
Pay As You Throw (PaYT)
Positives:
• Fills “hole” in budget
• Pay for what you use – Customer controlled
• “Ideally” cut down on MSW
• “Ideally” increase recycling
• Tax exempt and nonprofit will now have to pay (i.e. private schools, houses of worship, hospitals, and non for profits)
Negatives:
• Bag price & effect on; Seniors, Low Income, Handicap.
• Illegal dumping
• Single Stream Recycling contamination will increase
• Will have to pay $100s for Residential Bags
• Will cost $1,000s for bags to business/commercials including tax exempt/nonprofits (i.e.: Hospitals, Houses of Worship, Private Schools)
• Town Enforcement
• Holly Hill staff monitoring bags
• Holly Hill administrative costs added
• Increased Traffic at Holly Hill/ CT Idle law – RCSA section 22a-174-18(b)(3)
• Increase traffic on neighboring streets
• Currently paid through tax dollars, PAYT is just a greater indirect tax!
• Not user-friendly
• Paying “Waste Zero” $650,000 – from tax dollars
• Residents and Businesses are already paying 3.7 million dollars in their property taxes for M.S.W (garbage)
Tipping Fees
Positives:
• Fills “hole” in budget
• Gain fees from non-profits (i.e. private schools, houses of worship, hospitals)
• Mill rate not affected by tipping fees
• Controls out of town dumping
Negatives:
• Increased cost of $100s to residents
• Increase costs of $1,000s to all businesses/commercial establishments
• Residential property owners will LOSE tax write off
• Increase cost of $1,000s on all Town Bids for Garbage removal:
– Nathaniel Witherell, Public Schools, Government Buildings, Rec Centers, Police Station/Fire Station, Beaches/Town Parks, Housing Authority, Street Side cans in business districts
• Cost to residential for drop off at Holly Hill
• Increased car congestion in Holly Hill
• Increase traffic on neighboring streets
• CT Idle law- RCSA section 22a-174-18(b)(3)
• Increased running/administrative costs (Presently short staffed)
• In reality, will this new fee offset Town expenses be reflected in a lower property tax bill?
• Residents and Businesses are already paying 3.7 million dollars in their property taxes for M.S.W (garbage)