Conservatives Of The Upstate: A tax increase by another name ...

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

A tax increase by another name ...

Note that the City Of Liberty picks up recyclables in a significant chunk of the county for both residents and businesses.

The City Of Liberty is raising taxes and fees without a public hearing. (The recyclables pickup portion of your city water bill will not be reduced or removed)

Currently, "a fee" is charged on the City Of Liberty water bill for a certain amount of trash pickup.

For me, I recycled over half of my trash. Technically, everyone's bill should be reduced by a certain % due to less service provided for said "fee".

In 2010, Members of COTU worked really hard and spoke at multiple County Council meetings to help Liberty avoid the fines the county was going to charge because recycling totals were low. COTU helped expose that it was just a money grab. Obviously, we were right.

Ever since the announcement that the fines were going to be waived by the County "because they understood", and as prices for recyclables have plummeted, we find out it's less about the environment, and more about the money.

This move will cost FAR MORE in the long run as the landfill will fill at a rate of 5-8 more tons a week!

The full press release by Pickens County:

City of Liberty: New Direction in Recycling

PICKENS, S.C. – The City of Liberty, effective June 1, 2017, is changing the way residents will recycle. The city will no longer offer curb-side recycling pickup. Instead, residents are now encouraged to take their recyclable material to the local Recycling Center.

This positive change will continue to save taxpayers money, benefit the community and environment, and preserve space at the landfill. Continuing to recycle is beneficial county wide. Recycled goods bring in revenue for every ton of materials sold. The sale of tons recycled for the fiscal year 2016 was $397,777.39. If recyclable materials are thrown into the trash, it costs taxpayers more money to operate landfill facilities that store trash.

In addition, recycling potentially helps create jobs. Recycled materials are manufactured into new, usable goods. This process reinforces and preserves a green environment and conserves natural resources in Pickens County.

Ultimately, it is imperative residents continue to recycle. Without cooperation, the benefits the community enjoys will no longer be available.

Recycling Centers & Addresses:

Recycling - Bespac

2630 Farrs Bridge Road

Phone: (864) 859-1041

Recycling-Chastain Road

600 Chastain Road

Phone: (864) 639-0855

Recycling-Dacusville

190 Raxter Drive

Phone: (864) 836-2509

Recycling-Easley