Dear Editor,
Having lived in Maple Ridge for the past 40 years, one of the great options – when it comes in dealing with city hall – is that there is no city-wide garbage pick up.
It’s optional in that a homeowner can drop off his garbage at the garbage station on River Road or hire a private contractor for a fee.
I love having that option to manage my own garbage when I want to and pay a lot less on a yearly basis.
If city hall ever decides to enforce city-wide garbage pick up, expect your garbage fees – taxes – to go up in tandem with the regular yearly increases.
They will hire a contractor for profit, administration, and dumping fees. That yearly cost will be there for perpetuity for all the taxpayers in Maple Ridge – you included.
It will never be removed from your tax form.
A prime example is the water meter. On my winter quarter bills, the administration fees are higher than the water consumption. Figure that one out. The yearly percentage increases will be greater because the costs are greater than you managing the garbage yourself and pay for only what you generate.
If your out of the country for any amount of time – say six months – city hall will not adjust your garbage fees for the year. Your on the hook for the whole year.
Whereas self managing your own garbage during that period will have no cost to you. The old saying that city hall is in your bedroom is no longer true. It’s now in bed with you and will be there forever.
People do not let the garbage contractors do a sales job to city hall. They have professional lobbyist trying to win that contract for themselves. Write letters, phone the councillors and talk to your neighbours. We cannot afford another layer of city taxes.
Say no to city-wide garbage pick up.
Sergio Susin, Maple Ridge
RELATED LETTER: Taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize garbage pick up
and
ANOTHER RELATED LETTER: Street trees are a waste of tax dollars