Recycling Letter
talked with myself,
and myself said to me . . .
I read last weekend Barbara Christiansen's article in the Daily Herald about American Fork's opt-out recycling program. It reported, among other things, that while 2,746 households have opted out, the City's take rate (the number of households recycling) has nevertheless jumped to above 50 percent. It also said that, while the City can expect to save $73,263 in tipping fees, it nevertheless raised recycling fees from $4.50 to $5.40.
I also received my August utility bill in the mail last weekend and noted the 90 cent increase. I was not surprised, therefore, when the following angry letter appeared in my inbox.
Dear Councilmember Rodeback:
I am appalled and outraged that the City has increased my recycling bill by twenty percent with its fancy new "opt-out" recycling program. Did anybody with a brain vote for this? I thought we were Cavemen in this city, not Neanderthals. If the newspaper is to be believed, then the City will raise close to $40,000 annually in revenues to help with "billing expenses" on top of the $73,263 the City saves in tipping fees. That's a very generous full-time salary for somebody. I know business executives who don't make that much money. And whatever happened to economies of scale? Shouldn't the recyclers be able to make more money at lower cost now that they have more customers on their routes? And couldn't you at least find a company that recycles glass, if you're going to extract this kind of money off the backs of us impoverished taxpayers? It's governments like you that are the problem with this country. I'll thank you to stop raiding my pocketbook for ill-thought-out measures like this one.
Sincerely,
Heidi Rodeback
Nasty letters are a fact of life for elected officials, so I was able to take this one in stride. I sent out a gentle, reasoned reply which I now share.
Dear Heidi:
Thank you for your letter regarding the opt-out recycling program. I want you to know that I feel your pain in this and all other matters, seeing as I have the distinct honor of being your self. I empathize with your concerns about economies of scale and about the new, hidden, unjustified revenues -- truly, a mid-year tax increase -- which will flow into City coffers because of this program. I can only validate your point of view.
In fact, it was for these very reasons that I voted against this measure last February. Please read more about this vote at my blog entry dated February 9, 2009.
As for your other question, yes, all four of my colleagues have brains. While I disagree with them over the mechanics of this measure, I nevertheless respect their intelligence and their concern for sustainability. I might point out their further concern for the price of land, and their thought for the difficulty of finding new landfill space when today's landfills are full. Anything that postpones that day will pay dividends in the long term.
I don't say this to most of my correspondents, but I think you are one who will appreciate my advice when I say to count 10 next time before sending such a strongly worded letter. Remember that your elected officials are, and are supposed to be, lay leaders elected from among the people. They give generously of their time and must do their best according to their lights. Who knows, maybe next time around it'll be YOU sitting in this seat.
Thanks again for your inquiry.
Sincerely yours,
Heidi Rodeback
American Fork City Council
posted by Heidi Rodeback at 7:48 AM
4 Comments:
Heidi - Thanks for your thoughts on this.
I have heard that it is a good idea to avoid cell-phone or cable-tv contracts with early cancellation fees. I personally see the $50 opt-out fee as one of the worst cancellation fees of which I've ever heard. There is no contract term at all. So many families in the area are trying to make ends meet AND do what is best for the environment. Those that have financial struggles and decide that they need to cut back and their family expenses will not be able to opt out without a stiff penalty, even though they are trying to be wise. And there is no contract period to wait out in order to avoid this opt-out fee.
I understand that there might be some costs for discontinuing participation, but surely these bins can be reused. I suspect that it does not cost $50 to pick up and relocate a bin and do a little paper work. With the additional monies that the city is taking in, it seems that this fee should at least have a term limit (and the city absorbs any remaining costs if there are any). Better, it seems that it should be a more reasonable $10 to $15 for bin relocation and paperwork. Or best of all, I'm sure the city could afford to cover all of the opt-out costs given the incoming revenue.
Excellent point. I did ask about this at the time of the vote. The answer given was that $50 was indeed the price of the container, and that the company bore considerable risk in distributing thousands of containers which may well be returned.
But still.
Dear Council Member Rodeback,
I assure you that I have counted to ten, twice - and still feel the urge to write a strongly worded letter. Or at least a very wordy letter.
First, I would like to thank you for your not just for your nay vote on this issue, but for your on point reasoning.
As I read the preceding two letters I was struck (as I sometimes am) by the numbers.
If the city is indeed saving $73,000+ dollars in tipping fees through the increase in recycling wouldn't it be a good thing to pass those savings on to those who are creating the savings?
Instead of increasing the rate .$90per month, it seems like they could reduce the recycling fee by about $2.50 per month (give or take.) Just think recycling for $2.00 a month! That just might encourage more people to sign up and result in greater savings, until recycling could be almost free. It's a thought anyway. . .
Especially since as you have stated previously this is an Enterprise fund and the surplus cannot be moved to support other government functions.
I honestly don't know if any of the above actually calculates in the governmental math process, but wonder if there is going to be any accountability in the way the increase will be used?
Best Wishes
Leisa
I don't doubt that the containers cost $50. But I bet the majority are returned without any problems. Why not just charge those customers that don't return their containers the $50?
We are big supporters of recycling. But this program has some real number issues.
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