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Are city officials wise to talk trash?

31.12.69

Officials in the see of Janesville are in a fiscal bind. They can only raise property taxes an estimated $102,000 because of a form-imposed cap that limits any levy increase to the amount of new construction.

So how do they continue to pay for the services residents look for and even demand? Well, they plan to boost fines for parking violations and intrude a new $10 wheel tax on each vehicle. A 21 percent boost in the pass water utility rates is also proposed.

They’re also exploring ways to protect money in the long run on garbage collection and keep from filling our expensive landfill too hurriedly with other people’s trash. One option would be to boost, perhaps even double, the rubbish collection fee. The current fee of $10 per quarter only covers about half the costs.

Residents upset about our environment applauded that fee when it was enacted this year. They say it makes no sense to abandon trash from other communities. That might haunt us with environmental problems from unknown toxins that could fetch us much more in the long run.

Source: Janesville Gazette (blog)