puddle-

You may be on to something...

Move out days suck!

Not picking up perfectly compostable material which the city can and does use for its' own gardening needs is questionable. This material goes back to the taxpayer toward landscape maintenance which reduces the need for purchasing mulch and good food for growing.

Why do Lawrence taxpayers support the wasteful practice known as move out days? What are we teaching? Teaching and supporting unacceptable behavior is what we are teaching.

Why are WE THE TAXPAYER SHELLING OUT HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS picking up piles and piles and piles and piles of stuff, some of which is still good for re-use, and hauling it off to the dump at no extra charge ? This makes makes no dollars and sense.

How about at least $100 extra OR MAYBE $200? This nonsense goes on throughout the year. The city commission can change this.

Pay-As-You-Throw Environment/Equity/Economy

In communities with pay-as-you-throw programs (also known as unit pricing or variable-rate pricing), residents are charged for the collection of municipal solid waste—ordinary household trash—based on the amount they throw away. This creates a direct economic incentive to recycle more and to generate less waste.

Traditionally, residents pay for waste collection through property taxes or a fixed fee, regardless of how much—or how little—trash they generate. Pay-As-You-throw (PAYT) breaks with tradition by treating trash services just like electricity, gas, and other utilities. Households pay a variable rate depending on the amount of service they use.

Most communities with PAYT charge residents a fee for each bag or can of waste they generate. In a small number of communities, residents are billed based on the weight of their trash. Either way, these programs are simple and fair. The less individuals throw away, the less they pay.

EPA supports this new approach to solid waste management because it encompasses three interrelated components that are key to successful community programs:

1. Environmental Sustainability - Communities with programs in place have reported significant increases in recycling and reductions in waste, due primarily to the waste reduction incentive created by PAYT. Less waste and more recycling mean that fewer natural resources need to be extracted. In addition, greenhouse gas emissions associated with the manufacture, distribution, use, and subsequent disposal of products are reduced as a result of the increased recycling and waste reduction PAYT encourages. In this way, PAYT helps slow the buildup of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere which leads to global climate change. For more information on the link between solid waste and global climate change, go to EPA's Climate Change Web site.

2. Economic Sustainability - PAYT is an effective tool for communities struggling to cope with soaring municipal solid waste management expenses. Well-designed programs generate the revenues communities need to cover their solid waste costs, including the costs of such complementary programs as recycling and composting. Residents benefit, too, because they have the opportunity to take control of their trash bills.

3. Equity - One of the most important advantages of a variable-rate program may be its inherent fairness. When the cost of managing trash is hidden in taxes or charged at a flat rate, residents who recycle and prevent waste subsidize their neighbors' wastefulness. Under PAYT, residents pay only for what they throw away.

This Web site was developed as part of EPA's ongoing efforts to provide information and tools to local officials, residents, and others interested in PAYT. http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/tools/payt/index.htm

Yes throwing away leaves,branches and grass clippings is like throwing away money.

Pay-As-You-Throw - Let's Start Rewarding the Recyclers The unit-based approach to garbage collection is called Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT), and is used in thousands of communities across the United States. ... http://www.ecocycle.org/zero/pay_throw.cfm

Instead of increasing user fees aka taxes...

More than 6,000 cities are turning garbage disposal into dollars through pay-as-you-throw (PAYT), a solid waste collection program that promotes environmental benefits and economic savings.

Often municipal solid waste (MSW) collection is perceived as a free service by residents, as the costs are covered by property taxes or flat monthly or quarterly fees. Thus, no matter how much or how little residents recycle, compost or reduce their weekly waste, they incur no financial consequence.

Similar to the way utilities charge their customers for water and electricity, PAYT charges residents based on the number or size of trash containers discarded. As a result, cities are able to generate a relatively stable funding source, as well as increase recycling rates and reduce landfill costs. http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_payasyouthrow_payoff/

Instead of increasing user fees aka taxes...

Bozo writes: With the exception of those who live in dorms or other state owned facilities, students pay exactly the same taxes as everyone else does, and they probably get fewer services from them. Singling them out for additional taxes would be extremely unfair.

---"extremely unfair?"

but Boozo has stated multiple times that when you've earned all the "money that you need" then any more money and the government should tax the bejesus out of you. he and the benevolent socialist citizens committee will decide when you have enough money and when you have to give money back to the government. "extremely unfair?" yeah, riiiiiiiight.

no yard waste collection on Monday: oh the humanity!

no yard waiste collection on monday, pictures?

did Merrill flip out? is he slipping in the stats? multiple obsessive posting. yet he, lawnmowerman, uses polluting little engines in his lawn mowing service.
again Merrill has such wonderful little ideas for our community. let's see, here's some of his previous ideas: we should have scheduled rolling blackouts because power outages enforce energy conservation. living in caves is green, and helps the environment. broken streets serve as passive traffic calming devices. if the SLT is actually completed, then dreadful drivers will actually drive on it.

Get rid of this service! It costs money for those big trucks to drive around town!

Who is in charge of the City's check book? Where is the common sense on the 4th floor of City Hall?