Trees and garbage bins lined the streets of a section of Kaimuki yesterday, one of two days that refuse is hauled away by the city. City’s proposed mandatory
recycling raises concernsNewspapers and cans would not
be allowed in the regular trash
By Crystal Kua
CORRECTION
Wednesday, March 5, 2003» Cans would be allowed in regular trash pickup under Mayor Harris' proposed mandatory curbside recycling program. A headline on Page A1 in the early edition yesterday incorrectly stated that cans would not be allowed.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.
ckua@starbulletin.comPeople like Bob Kamiyama, of Kaimuki, had questions about mandatory curbside recycling, and Mayor Jeremy Harris detailed his plans yesterday.
"I think it's a good idea, but does he have money to do that? How is he going to do it? Do we have to separate everything?" Kamiyama asked.
As part of his $1.178 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year, Harris is proposing a mandatory curbside recycling pickup program that could also result in residents paying $8 per month to continue with a second day of regular trash pickup a week.
The City Council will start holding briefings on the mayor's budget proposal.
Residents also are worried about a proposed increase in real property taxes to pay for the fiscal 2004 budget.
The mandatory curbside recycling pickup program could start as early as July 1. Trash pickup would be cut to once a week instead of twice a week. Recyclables like newspapers, paper and glass would be picked up twice a month, and green waste would continue to be picked up twice a month.
Residents will not be allowed to throw the recyclable material in the regular trash.
Harris said he has heard mainly positive comments about the program but has received lots of questions about how it will work.
"It might be worth it if you can recycle everything -- less rubbish," Kamiyama said.
"Now they want to charge for picking up rubbish," said Kawohi Silva, a stay-at-home mom of three who owns a home in Waikele but rents in Kaimuki to be closer to her son's school. "I'm tired of paying already. We pay for all kinds of stuff."
Residents will not have to separate their recyclables -- they will be able to put them in the same bin as general trash after the week's trash has been hauled away. Harris said that the city is asking only that newspapers be bundled or placed in plastic bags to keep them together.
If newspapers have been used for other things -- like wrapping fish or to cover the bottom of a birdcage -- those can be thrown in the trash without penalty. The city will be doing spot checks of trash to make sure that residents are not systematically throwing recyclables into the general trash. If that happens, a resident's trash will not be picked up.
"If somebody just makes a mistake and ends up with a plastic bottle in there, of course there's not going to be any dire consequences," he said.
If residents need another bin, they can buy one for $70.
Harris said city employees will be going door to door to explain the plan to residents before it is implemented.
Harris also talked about his tax increase proposal, which will see, among other things, a rise in single-family home tax rates.
Kaimuki has also seen values of homes rise nearly 9 percent, so it was no coincidence that residents had taxes also on their minds.
"I don't think he needs to hike taxes, because the property (value) itself is going up, so the taxes itself, it's going to have more money," Kamiyama said.
Harris also took the opportunity to criticize Councilman Charles Djou for questioning the mayor's proposal to raise property taxes and suggesting that the administration has not made enough cuts to the budget. He called Djou's comments irresponsible.
"I don't believe he's looked at any of this. I don't believe he's analyzed this. I don't believe he's evaluated it."
Djou replied, "I certainly think that reasonable people can disagree on whether or not it is good public policy in our current economic environment to raise taxes."
TODAY City Council's annual
budget review schedule
Beginning at 9 a.m.
>> Administrative budget overview and start of capital improvement budget and function review
>> Public Safety -- police, fire, emergency services and design and construction departmentTOMORROW
Beginning at 9 a.m.
>> General Government -- Information Technology, Budget & Fiscal Services, Planning & Permitting, Design and Construction
Beginning at 2 p.m.
>> Highways and streets -- Transportation Services and Design and ConstructionTHURSDAY
Beginning at 9 a.m.
>> Sanitation -- Environmental Services, Design and Construction
Beginning at 2 p.m.
>> Culture-Recreation -- Parks & Recreation and Design and ConstructionFRIDAY
Beginning at 9 a.m.
>> Human Services -- Community Services, Budget & Fiscal Services
Beginning at 2 p.m.
>> Enterprises -- Transportation Services and Design and ConstructionMARCH 10
The start of review of departmental operating budgets
Beginning at 9 a.m.
>> Budget & Fiscal Services, Enterprise Services (auditoriums, golf courses, zoo and concessions), Planning & Permitting, Design and Construction
Beginning at 2 p.m.
>> Parks & Recreation, Human Resources, Mayor's and Managing Director's offices
City & County of Honolulu
