Garfield Heights Trash Collection Fee

Update May 18, 2010. ONE LAST CHANCE !

There are petitions available for repeeling the trash collection fee.

If you are interested in signing one please contact Frank Wagner 216 799-2909.

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Well folkes,

Thanks to those of you that heard and responded to this issue by going to the Council Meetings and voicing your feelings on the issues.

Many voices spoke out against the hardship and mismanagement of city funds leading to this trash tax request.

Your council heard your voices and promptly did what they saw fit.....

The tax has been passed in a 6-1 vote, and there is a promise that as soon as the city no longer needed the money they would stop collecting it.

[ I doubt this will ever happen CTA voted in 1930 temporary, then RTA took it over and increased it in the 1970's and now they want to eliminate service to Garfield Heights - bet they won't repeel that CTA tax -ed.]

Well now it falls upon all of you to hold the city and mayor to that promise.

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Recent statements made by the Mayor Vic Collova about the city budget make it clear that the budget just doesn't balance.

Ellen Psenicka reported in the Neighborhood News January 27th edition that:

"The mayor said the city ended 2009 with a $1.4 million deficit, 'which was better than we expected'."

Rachel Szuch reported in the same paper that:

"At monday's meeting of Garfield Heights City Council, Mayor Vic Collova announced that while the city's 2010 fiscal recovery plan could be completed in about an hour, he is holding out for more time to avoid adding extra burden to Garfield Heights residents."

He is further quoted as saying

"We're still coming up about $900,000 to $1 million short,"

So what ideas have been getting bandied about to solve this fiscal short fall?

1. Red Light Cameras - these were already in the budget and he has said he doesn't expect them to net the city the $945,000.00 ex-mayor Longo had budgeted. He has said he expects it to be more like $300,000.00 and the city will need to make up the other $600,000.00 some way.
2. Trash Collection Fee increase - this is included in our taxes currently but they have spoken about passing a new additional monthly fee.[ It passed by council 6-1 -ed.]
3. Tax Credit Reduction.

Currently, the cost for trash pickup is in the taxes we already pay.

• Property Tax- for the privilege of owning a house in this city.
and
• Municipal Income Tax.

The fee that has been talked about by mayor Vic Collova is about $15.00 per month.
This would appear as a assessment on property taxes. $15 x 12 = $180 more per year.

One last thing:
Did I forget to mention under the current Charter...
YOU DON'T GET TO VOTE ON THIS EXTRA TRASH PICKUP FEE !
If council passes it- [They did pass it in a 6-1 The one against was Tom Vaughn voted the way he said his ward spoke to him, apparently the others voted for other reasons -ed.]