Home Local News CITY COUNCIL MAY BE FORCED TO ELIMINATE SENIOR DISCOUNT ON TRASH PICKUP

CITY COUNCIL MAY BE FORCED TO ELIMINATE SENIOR DISCOUNT ON TRASH PICKUP

1114
SHARE

THE DISCOUNT SENIOR CITIZENS RECEIVE EACH MONTH IN SIOUX CITY FOR THEIR GARBAGE PICKUP BILL IS LIKELY TO BE ELIMINATED.

THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED 5-0 MONDAY EVENING ON A FIRST READING TO INCREASE THE MONTHLY TRASH COLLECTION RATE FOR EVERYONE AND ALSO END THE SENIOR DISCOUNT.

CITY ATTORNEY NICOLE DUBOIS SAYS IT’S BECAUSE THE STATE AUDITOR ISSUED AN OPINION IN AUGUST OF 2016 THAT THE DISCOUNT IS ILLEGAL:

OC……..THAT THEY WERE GIVEN. ;13

DUBOIS SAYS CITIES MAY PROVIDE A DISCOUNT TO PEOPLE WHO MEET A LOW INCOME GUIDELINE AND GO THROUGH AN INCOME VERIFICATION PROCESS.

COUNCILMAN DAN MOORE ALSO SERVES ON THE SENIOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SAYS LOSING THE DISCOUNT IS A BIG CONCERN:

OC…WE ALL ARE. ;19

MOORE ADDED THAT IT’S POSSIBLE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT COULD BE FILED AGAINST THE CITY OVER THE DISCOUNT, ALTHOUGH CITY OFFICIALS SAY NOBODY HAS DONE THAT AT THIS TIME.

SIOUX CITY RESIDENT KEITH BAKER SPOKE AGAINST ELIMINATING THE SENIOR DISCOUNT:

OC…………JERKING IT FROM US. :18

THE SENIOR DISCOUNT IS CURRENTLY $12.05 PER MONTH, COMPARED TO THE REGULAR MONTHLY FEE OF $16.30 PER MONTH.

UNDER THE PROPOSAL, ALL RESIDENTS WOULD SEE A 33 CENT A MONTH INCREASE ON THEIR BILL, PLUS A SIX CENT MONTHLY INCREASE FOR AN EXTRA CONTAINER AND AN EIGHT CENT INCREASE ON STICKERS USED FOR EXTRA LEAF BAGS OR OTHER NON-CONTAINER ITEMS.

THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE UP THE MATTER AGAIN IN TWO WEEKS.