Assembly narrowly approves lower transfer site and landfill fees

Mat-Su Borough residents could soon be paying less for taking their trash to transfer sites and the borough’s central landfill, but it will mean less money to fund solid waste management.

On Tuesday, the borough assembly approved a resolution that would make getting rid of garbage at transfer sites and the landfill in Palmer a fair bit cheaper.  For those bringing a smaller amount of trash, the per-bag cost is going back down to $2.  In addition, instead of being limited to two bags, customers can bring up to four and receive the per-bag price.

As of now, anyone bringing more than two bags has to pay by the cubic yard. Taking enough trash to fill an average full-size truck to the top of the bed is two cubic yards, and would cost about thirty-four dollars.  Under the new price structure, it will cost just ten dollars.  If the load is above the side of the truck bed, it goes up to fifteen dollars, but is still less than half as much as before.

While this means savings to many borough residents, and is aimed to encourage those without residential trash service to use the transfer sites, it will mean a loss in revenue for the borough’s solid waste division.

Terry Dolan is the borough’s public works director.  He says the changes will cost more than two million dollars for solid waste operations each year. 

“That’s our best estimate.  About $1.9 million in revenue cuts for this, plus another $600,000 for the previous adjustment is about $2.5 million.”

Solid waste is what is known as an enterprise fund, meaning it is meant to be fee-based and pay for itself without using property taxes.  Increases in fees to dispose of trash in recent years were a direct response to solid waste operating in the red.  Dolan says this could lead to the return of an operational deficit.

Assembly Member Tam Boeve, who represents the Northern Valley, opposed the fee changes.

“I think it’s irresponsible of us to be charging less than it actually costs to provide this service.  So either we can pay the costs, ourselves, or we can ask our kids to pay it.  But at some point someone is going to pay.”

The resolution ultimately passed by a vote of four in favor and three opposed. Unless vetoed by Mayor Vern Halter, it will enter into effect on July 1^st.