Nov 21, 2015 1 min read

During the Nov. 5 Washington City Council meeting, Mayor Brenda Davis asked why the yearly residential fee for garbage collection is $243, when Waste Management’s fee per household is $155. The difference is then transferred to the general fund. She was told the funds were used for “additional costs associated with garbage collection.”

One immediately thinks of the cost of collecting delinquent fees as an additional cost. It’s a legitimate cost, but one that should be charged directly to the garbage account. There may be other as yet unidentified legitimate costs associated with garbage collection.

In any case, all the costs of garbage collection should be charged directly to the garbage account. Otherwise, the “extra” fees are being used to support other city expenses that are hidden from the taxpayer.

Martha M. Quimby

Washington