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The City of Gastonia elected officials are close to getting blood from a turnip!
Obviously our title is sarcasm. Do you expect less from us? Seriously though, we have grave concerns about the cost of everything the city charges for sky rocketing upward when the average citizen is trying to live on less. Electric rates are going up. Water and sewer are sure to go up. We get charged for storm water run off, as if we have control over how hard it rains. The latest is the price we will be paying for garbage pick up.
Did you think that idea just went away? Maybe our elected officials forgot that they had discussed this issue. Not a chance. Do not think for one minute they are going to let a chance to squeeze more money out of you get away. We have detailed below the recommendations of the Solid Waste Committee which voted in favor of these recommendations by a vote of 12-2.
The first item we viewed was a recommendation for recycling containers. There were several different options regarding this so there may be a fee and there may not be but at the least Gastonia should get with the program and do something about recycling.
The main item that caught our attention is the fee based system being proposed for garbage collection. Over the next two years a fee based system is proposed to be phased in. In the first year citizens would receive a 96 gallon cart and will be charged $11.25 a month. In the second year of the plan a 65 gallon cart is added and will cost $11.25 a month and the 96 gallon cart cost will increase to $16.25 a month.
So our electric rates are going up, sewer and water rates are going up, and now we have to pay for garbage collection? Isn't that already covered in our taxes. Our taxes by the way are some of the highest in the County already. When does it end? Some households are looking at paying $40.00 to $50.00 a month just in increased fees to the city. At the same time, prices for food and gas have increased dramatically and the average household is bringing home less income than they did a few years ago. Higher prices and less pay mean there are going to be more and more people forced to turn to government assistance to survive.
If the population is relying more on government assistance then the government needs to spend more money to cover these programs. If the government spends more then they need to collect more revenue. The government collects revenue by increasing taxes. WHAT!!! Does anybody else think this is crazy? The city is starting a landslide that is going to doom us all. The sky is falling, the sky is falling.
Obviously it is not quite as bad as we have portrayed it above but it is only getting worse. Our City officials need to figure out how to do the same with less. We do it at home all the time. Somehow we manage to survive on less but we don't have the option to smack the tax payers around either. We have to balance our budget and make smart choices. We know that some of the luxuries in life will have to be put off but we are responsible and that is what we do.
It is time that we hold our elected officials accountable and force them to make responsible decisions with OUR money. No more frills and wasting money. Get back to the basics. They need to tighten their financial belts just as we have. Stop getting smacked around and stand up and say no more. Fight back.
How do you fight back? Start by emailing or calling the city council and mayor. (just our experience but don't believe it if the mayor says she is concerned). Next, show up at the city council meetings and speak out against these fees. It is highway robbery and it needs to be stopped. If the masses speak out then they have to listen. Also, we need to listen as well. Listen to what each member of council is saying. If it doesn't sound very good then break out the ultimate weapon, your vote. Elections are this November and you have the final say in this battle. Listen to what is being said and observe how the council members cast their individual votes. Then, cast your vote!
Click HERE to read or print a full copy of the Solid Waste Proposal by the Solid Waste Committee. |
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