Mayor’s budget adds
new fee for trash pickupThe plan includes a proposed
increase in property tax rates
No Satellite City Halls would close, but every household with city trash pickup would have to pay a new fee to haul its garbage away under new budget proposals submitted yesterday to the City Council by Mayor Jeremy Harris.
"It's a solution that really takes into consideration the concerns that (the Council) expressed and one that doesn't do great damage to the services that the citizens are expecting," Harris said.
The latest version of the proposed 2003-2004 operating budget given preliminary approval last week by the Council includes just less than $2 million in cuts that the mayor has said would have a drastic impact on city services, including the loss of two Satellite City Halls and the city's ability to pay its electric and phone bills.
To avert those consequences, the mayor offered a compromise proposal that includes:
>> Dropping a $2 fee for certain Satellite City Hall counter transactions. The Council shelved that last week.Yesterday's proposal does not change the mayor's position on raising property tax rates to generate $23 million in additional revenue.>> Charging all households an $8 fee per month to continue general trash pick up for two days a week. The mayor's original proposal called for the $8 to be charged to those who opted for the second day of trash pickup after curbside recycling is introduced.
>> Raising the fee per ton charged to commercial trash haulers by $6 instead of by $12. The fee is currently $72.25.
>> Funding $2.1 million in raises for firefighters.
>> Restoring $450,000 to the Prosecutor's Office budget.
>> Establishing a lower fee for low-income residents who want to spay or neuter their dog or cat.
The Council received the mayor's latest proposal during a special meeting yesterday in which a majority of members signaled their willingness to raise property taxes to generate revenues to balance the $1.2 billion operating budget, although no final decision has been made.
"From my own district, I don't really sense ... any hostility out there in terms of raising taxes," Councilman Mike Gabbard said. "People are kind of, they're willing to go along. They understand what's happening. They understand ... the budgetary times we're facing."
Councilman Charles Djou, the most outspoken critic of a tax increase, appeared to be in the minority.
"I might be fighting a very, very lonely battle here," he said. "I don't believe in this current economic environment raising taxes is a good idea."
While raising taxes appears to be catching on with the Council, another of the mayor's budget ideas appears to be fizzling.
Council members continued to question the mayor's curbside recycling plan, especially whether it will be ready to roll out in July.
"We cannot charge people to pick up trash," Councilwoman Barbara Marshall said.
Gabbard, the Council's public works chairman, said that the administration should consider a pilot project first before full implementation.
But Harris said that the start of the recycling project depends on when the Council approves it. "If we have to wait until June to find out if it's a yes or a no, then it may take longer."
The mayor also said yesterday that the $8 fee is separate from the recycling program.
"So what we're saying is, in this latest compromise, if we give everybody second-day pickup ... then the $8 charge applies to everyone, so it's irrelevant when the recycling starts. They can count on the revenue regardless of whether the recycling starts in July or August," Harris said.
City & County of Honolulu
