|
The following is a press release from Malden Taxpayers For Accountability. The Malden Taxpayers for Accountability expects the City Council to place their petition on the November 3, 2009 ballot. They encourage the community to witness the vote this Tuesday at the Senior Center at 7 p.m.. There could have been compromises on the Pay as You Throw Trash Bag Tax, but our elected officials chose this path and we believe the voters of Malden win by voicing their opinion and voting to either eliminate or keep it on Election Day.
Recycling by the City met expectations of nearly 40%.
The group supports the City of Malden’s efforts and believes these same results or better ones could have been achieved with community input and buy-in before PAYT implementation last fall. Our facts are based on the numbers and results from these recognized recycling programs in other communities by the State of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection:
Single Stream
* The storage of all recyclables (bottles and cans and all paper) mixed together in a single container
* Collection and transport of the mixed recyclables in a single compartment on the truck
* Separation of the mixed recyclables mechanically and with labor at a processing facility
* Boston: recycling tonnage up 50%; trash down 20%
* Springfield: recycling up 90%; trash down 20%
Automated Collection
* Trash or recyclables
* Fully or semi-automated
* Carts and mechanical lift arm
* 1st year results:
o Holden MA trash is down 30% and recycling is up 73%!
Recycle Bank-incentive based program
* Single stream recycling with cart
* RFID tag tracks tonnage per household
* Points converted to coupons – local businesses, national chains
* Everett and Revere have seen 300% improvements in programs. While Southbridge is 125%.
The MTFA believes if the community had been made aware of these programs there wouldn’t be a ballot question in November. Did the taxpayers of Malden need to really buy bags and the city employees need to help City Hall balance their budget? The taxpayer advocates have reviewed the tentative budget and want to state the following facts to back up these claims when our City leaders this summer ask for your vote. They will also try and tell you that there’s a potential loss (if they’re a member of the trash tax seven) in revenue because of the elimination of the blue trash bag tax. Ask them to explain these available funds from the tentative budget for 2009-2010: Trash Bag Tax with recycle efforts $3.6 million
McFadden Manor $2.7 million
Enterprise Fund transfers $1.3 million
Salary increases/decreases past two years $1.1 million
Leftover monies from the Senior Center $2.1 million
Negotiated in good faith raises without apparent
Council knowledge $.700,000 Grand Total = $11.5 million If the State does make the estimated cuts of $5 million it still leaves us with approximately $6.5 million. Again, the MTFA wants to state why should anyone have to lose their job in our City ($1.5-$2.0 million in teacher salaries) and still not have a compromise on the bags? Read their entire blog on this subject: http://maldentax.blogspot.com/ We want to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us via e-mail at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, visit our blogs at www.maldentax.com or call 781-420-3818. We will gladly discuss our views and why we need your support. Come join us and the many thousands of people that we expect to vote on Election Day. Become a volunteer campaign worker to demonstrate to City Hall that enough is enough and they must make the effort to engage us first when they want to take additional money from our pocketbooks.
|
