There is Money in Waste!

The solid waste industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.  The last figures I could find were for 1999 and at that time it was $43.3 billion!  

Even in the small town of Salem, N.H., it is an industry of approximately $2.2 million.  The taxpayers of Salem are currently funding the operation of the transfer station to the tune of $1 million-plus and the private haulers are pulling in another $1.2 million from the 48 percent of the town residents who pay to have their trash picked up curbside. 

Now you have an idea of why there is such opposition to the implementation of curbside pickup in Salem.  It is hitting these people in their wallets.  This opposition is not being led by people who are concerned about the tax impact on Salem residents.  It is being led by people with a background in the solid waste industry.

The opposition also stated that the latest ad supporting curbside pickup in Salem was wrong when it stated that if curbside pickup was not implemented in Salem then the cost to the residents would be $2.2 million per year.  As you can see in the above paragraph those figures are right and the opposition is wrong.

Other than the tax impact to the residents of Salem, most of their attacks have been personal, leaning heavily towards statements made by the volunteer members of the Salem Municipal Solid Waste committee who will see no financial benefit from curbside pickup other than the benefits all affected residents will see. 

These attacks pick one misstatement out of a presentation or article and tear it apart to suit their needs.  They have also relied heavily upon the fact that there was a $100,000 dollar miscalculation in the figures presented by the Solid Waste Committee.  This error was due to the money that was removed from the budget by the Salem Board of Selectmen with the elimination of C&D Disposal at the transfer station.

The opposition's latest position was calculating where the money was coming from to pay for the increase in the budget required to fund curbside pickup.  The average cost of $33 per house (the median value of a home in Salem is now $275,000), which is calculated by multiplying the median value of a house by the 12 cents per thousand dollars of evaluation impact that curbside pickup will have on the budget.  Of course, all houses will not pay an additional $33.  Some will pay more, some will pay less. 

They stated that this does not add up to the additional $400,000 needed annually.  Of course it doesn't!  Homeowners in Salem are not the only taxpayers.  Take a look around at all the businesses and commercial property in Salem.  They are a big part of Salem's tax base and will be helping to pay for curbside pickup as the also pay for our school system, road maintenance, fire and police departments and any other budgeted item.

Please vote Yes for Curbside Pickup