San Anselmo garbage and recycling rates expected to rise 17.7 p...

If they have been LOSING $500,000 a year that means they will be MAKING $500,000 MORE with the new cans. So why do people have to pay more?
Something smells in the garbage business.

We get charged so they save money?

Missing from the article is the town will be giving the garbage hauler a new 10 year Franchise. The agreement, written by the hauler, is a last century relic.

Zero Waste, a town goal by 2025, principles are ignored. There are no incentives for the waste generators or the hauler to move to Zero Waste. Climate change incentives are only what other cities address.

Highest & best use of resources are ignored. Green waste is just collected, not directed to be used exclusively for compost & energy. Food Waste diverted to energy & compost also will be managed at the discretion of the hauler.

San Anselmo gives all the power & decisions to the garbage industry allowing them to dictate terms & rates for the next 10 years while collecting another 10% "tax"of the haulers billing called a Franchise Fee that goes into the general fund.

Citizens must wake up and not believe that over 70% of San Anselmo's garbage is recycled. It is NOT.

Inflation is negative yet the price goes up 17%?!?!
The private sector is doing everything possible to increase productivity to keep prices down just to compete, yet these yahoos in the public sector raise rates lie it's just another walk in the park.
I think I'll take my trash to the trash can at the corner of Tunstead and San Anselmo Avenue and cancel my trash pickup.

I remember reading (I think it was in the Marin IJ) that they were not even fulfilling the process that they said they would be fulfilling and that they were/are using organic matter (from our green bins, of which I often need a bigger one) as a nightly stench cover for the other stuff (from our black bins) instead of in a compost pile. As for the tiny yellow bucket (which we usually fill, rarely do we fill our black bin and it's the smallest they offer), their mailers keep reiterating to us that they do not accept all but one type of plastic for recycling (cap and lidless) and paper goods need to be in a certain bundle ratio. What exactly do they recycle beyond aluminum cans, some glass, and one type of plastic?

Another thing I would like for my money is for them to have a e-waste collection day (if they are capable of processing/recycling it) and a related spent battery pick-up. It seems inefficient for everyone to drive in their individual vehicles to drop it off instead of their trucks doing it once in awhile.

One related albeit probably silly question, is this Sanitary Service part of the Sanitary district?

Marin Sanitary has us where they want us: with no options but to take the rate increases after they gave their employees raises in the worst economy since the great depression.

I've always wondered how much they make on bottles and other recyclables? San Anselmo residents must give away a few dollars every week?

Every year, Marin Sanitary makes their case for increased rates throughout the County, city-by-city. In January this year, they raised the rates in Larkspur appx 9% citing "higher gasoline costs", despite the cost of gasoline actually DECREASING between Summer 08 and Jan09. I'm sure they'll have another story for why their rates need to go up again this year. WAKE UP folks...we're being hosed. Where is their competition? Has Mill Valley Refuse been given an opportunity to bid the San Anselmo contract?

I find it interesting that a council member (soon to be an ex-council member) can vote on the price increase when he received political contributions from the President of Marin Sanitary in a failed political campaign in San Anselmo. It's a pretty sad day in San Anselmo. I wish my company could give me a raise of 17%, especially in these time.

The rates are negotiated by a group pubic entities known as the Franchisor's Group. Thof e Franchisor's Group audits and sets the rates each year for the member Cities. Every increase for the garbage hauler is scrutinized by the Group. The contract used by the San Anselmo was one prepared by the Town's attorney but which incorporates provisons from the contracts in place in Larkspur, San Rafael, Fairfax, Ross, etc. The contract and the rates were discussed, studied and negotiated over the course of 15 meetings,open to the public. Teh efforts of the Town of San Anselmo subommmitte exceed the efforts made by all other jurisdictions.

The recycling world urges the new San Anselmo City Council majority to go back to the negotiating table on the proposed rate increase. This increase is of a piece with the very unnecessary expansion of the Redwood Land fill. See www.ncrarecycles.org for cutting edge policy, not soft-soap publicity.

MSS will come back to Council with a plan to increase the number of Green Waste pickups during the winter months. I doubt a real shift in the rates or service without a strong community outcry.

If Green Waste pickup & disposal at the household level is diminshed then the Town will respond by saying that be an increase for Streetsweeping by MSS is needed to keep the gutters and streets clean.
Happily, the Town has not been able to get the SS into the Refuse & Recycling rates (at least not openly seen in the Franchise).

Tex-San Anselmo may have a point about campaign contributions and friendly persuasion influencing a vote on Franchise Agreement. I had Tex's perspective in 2002 when Town officials were openly flirting with Marin Sanitary Service and dressing MSS in royal purple.

Some things (money, power, and more money) stay the same.

llm