Comments on: City of Tallahassee Retains Millions in Garbage Fees, Leon County Passes Savings to Customers

By: Curtis

Curtis — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 15:04:44 +0000

The county should be acknowledged for reducing the garbage collection fee, but we should be so quick to credit them with passing along solid waste collection fees. Unlike the city, the county never collected the fees in the first place. The county entered into an exclusive agreement with a vendor so that customers had to use a single garbage collection company. As it turns out, that exclusive agreement ended up costing customers 50% more than it should have … for decades. When the county did negotiate a lower price for garbage collection services, they entered into another exclusive agreement with another vendor. Then, the county turned right around and quadrupled the storm water fee, started assessing fees for roll away services around the county, and raised the fuel tax.

By: Hope

Hope — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 11:19:53 +0000

Perhaps the city uses the extra to funds to subsidize the amount paid to Marpan which would be smart and fiscally responsible, but the county has not accounted for the needed additional funds to pay Marpan. This would put the county further in the hole, hence; a raised tax such as the recently raised gas tax to compensate for the fiscal mismanagement.

I believe Marpan would be the next place to look at. Also, do the rank and file workers at Marpan receive good benefits such as healthcare? I would be disappointed to learn that Marpan is able to contribute huge amounts to local campaigns, but providing no healthcare benefits to their employees.

By: Hope

Hope — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 11:20:15 +0000

@ Peggy,

The county needs those funds to pay “hush money” severance packages to commissioners aides, $70,000 payout to the county attorney, contracts to Sean Pittman so he is able to provide the booze at the yearly Chamber of Commerce junket at Amelia Island or Destin where county staff and commissioners attend on the taxpayers dime, and raises to the administrative staff. Also, 60% of the county budget is used for the sheriff where tax dollars provide all expense paid junkets to Israel listed as “training” for retiring LCSO employees.

By: peggy

peggy — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:07:57 +0000

So why did they need to increase the gas tax?

By: Erwin Jackson, PhD.

Erwin Jackson, PhD. — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:59:01 +0000

Great article. Why does it take a private citizen to uncover this theft of citizen dollars? Why do our new commissioners remain silent? Keep up the good work Steve.

By: brad

brad — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 12:31:24 +0000

Better take a look at marpan and see what money it makes on your metal. Why give metal away when you can get paid for it? county now charging to dump at the Miccosukee transfer site, how does that factor in?

By: Hope

Hope — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 04:29:14 +0000

How much does the county and city each pay to Marpan for recycling?

By: bob fulford

bob fulford — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 02:55:42 +0000

How does the County arrangement with Kim Williams’ business factor into the situation.

How does the City’s provision to transfer all our wet garbage to a nearby County to be incinerated factor into the financial aspects of the situation?

Is it moral and ethical to have a poor county do something that our citizens (I think!) would not approve doing in our county?