Resident: Trash fee just another bill for homeowners to pay - S...

Recent history
Gardner had a landfill. It was big enough so that Gardner had enough room to put their trash there for many more decades. Then mayor mancor sold the rights. Now gardner residents pay $40 a month for a weekly pickup of 1 40 gallon trash barrel.

For those who don't know the dollars and cents - Fitchburg already makes a killing off of it's contract with Waste Management. After deducting the cost (expense) of picking up our trash and operating the landfill, the excess revenue from our contract with Waste Management is over $300k per year pure profit to Fitchburg ... About a cool MILLION dollars profit OVER AND ABOVE COST OF PICKING UP OUR TRASH in three years time.

The proposed "trash fee" is simply an illegal way to do an end run around a Prop 2 1/2 override, which the voters would have to approve. The state was challenged on the same thing (fees) in 1989 and they had to roll all fees back to the actual cost of the service. As our service is already paid for from the Waste Management contract, this would never stand up in court.

Anyone interested in sending a message to their city councilors before they vote on this Tuesday night May 20, meet us in front of city hall at 6:45PM for a silent standout to greet our elected representatives as they walk in the door.

Shalom

IP problems at this forum I see. I'm not in Northborough! I live, pay taxes and vote in Fitchburg. Little bug in the system, perhaps it could be fixed soon?

We are in the enviable position of not only having FREE (to the City) rubbish removal because we own the landfill, but of actually making a PROFIT from the landfill.

The city landfill is an ASSET acquired long ago by the TAXPAYERS. It belongs to ALL of us. We benefit from profitable use of that asset. The profit from this asset goes into the general fund, the same as all other revenues including property taxes.

WE DO NOT PAY FOR TRASH REMOVAL. THE COST IS DEDUCTED FROM THE INCOME RECEIVED FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT.

How can it be any more clear to anyone. The proposed trash fee is NOT a fee for trash removal. It is a cleverly designed fraudulent tax whose sole purpose is to evade the law. The law states that in order for our taxes to increase more than 2.5%, the matter MUST be placed on the ballot so the citizens can vote on the override.

THIS PROPOSED TRASH FEE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. IT IS ILLEGAL. And it is an insult to us all.

Other cities and towns that have trash fees as promoted in the public hearing and media DO NOT EARN A PROFIT FROM THEIR LANDFILL. Their trash fees go toward removal and disposal of their trash, so they are truly trash fees, not taxes.