Letter: Proposed garbage pick up rate increase is beyond outrageous
To the editor,
–Recently the city of Paso Robles sent a letter to all citizens who receive waste (garbage)pick-up in the city listing new rates for the current franchise PRWR. The letter states that PRWR has complied with the terms of the agreement in that they submitted a Rate Study which was reviewed by the Glenn Burdette Public Accounting firm. I have no doubt that they have complied with all of the terms of their agreement. That being said, the adjustments that they are asking for are not only outrageous, they are obscene.
The following numbers are right from the city letter, (except for the January 1, 2020 increase which the city conveniently left off.)
January 1, 2020 5.4% increase
July 1, 2020 8.8% increase
January 1, 2021 8.78% increase
total increase = 22.98% increase in 12 months
A 23% rate increase in 12 months! Does our city manager and the city council think that the citizens of Paso Robles are too stupid to figure this out? Who are they working for? The city manager should be negotiating from a place of strength on behalf of the citizens. It is obvious that he is not.
Inflation in 2019 as taken from the U.S. CPI index was 1.68% and is running under 2.0% in 2020. So how does a company justify a 23% increase in 12 months?
We the citizens should insist upon competitive bidding for our money. Not Good Old Boy contracts!
All citizens and businesses who receive waste pick-up from the city contractor need to submit a letter to the city clerk at 1000 Spring St, Paso Robles, Ca 93446 no later than May, 19, 2020 stating that they are protesting the increases.
The protest must state: (1). that the identified property owner or tenant is in opposition to the proposed increases to the solid waste service rates; (2) provide the location of the identified parcel (by street address or assessor’s parcel number (APN); and (3) include the name and signature of the property owner or tenant submitting the protest.
Please identify on the front of the envelope for any written protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the City Clerk, Attn: Public Hearing on Solid Waste Rate Increases.
Tim Ressler
Paso Robles
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