Agenda - 04-21-2003-4 - Laserfiche WebLink

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to lower their tax rates proportionally, if so desired. Individual jurisdictions would no longer have to assess taxes required to pay tip fees, although some .level of tip fees would remain, such as for C&D (which governments seldom deliver) and yard waste. Towns would still be free to implement PAYT systems to recover some or all collection costs. Solid Waste Enterprise The single most important core element of funding solid waste management is the stable and predictable financing of the solid waste system. Prepayment for a bundle of services that would include operation of landfill and other elements of our system including recycling system, HHW collection, administrative aspects, will stabilize the funding of the Solid Waste Enterprise. While it maybe argued that elimination of the tipping fees and institution of a comprehensive service fee to cover both solid waste disposal and recycling may remove any incentive for recycling, it is noted that there is, at present, no specific incentive for recycling, except for the four "E's" -Ease, Ethics, Expectations, and Education, yet Orange County leads the state in its per capita volume of waste diverted to recycling. There is reason to believe that with increased availability of even more recycling options, as well as aggressive education and program outreach, our levels of recycling will continue to grow. The comprehensive prepaid fee coupled with the also recommended franchising of local haulers will create a legally permissible economic flow control as waste haulers have no incentive to go elsewhere. Presently, haulers that deliver their Orange County waste to outside facilities do not contribute their share of funding for non-disposal services. Private Haulers With the mixed solid waste collected within the county having the disposal fee prepaid, hauler fees would presumably be charging customers only for collection, making private waste collection significantly more competitive and resulting in a substantial lowering of fees for hauling waste. Many large private haulers, with access to a dedicated (self owned) landfill have a competitive advantage that discourages smaller operators, will no longer have a competitive advantage. This should encourage competition for waste hauling services from local entrepreneurs who no longer have to compete for disposal space, resulting in lower costs (from competition) for those who avail themselves of commercial services. Indeed, this may well cause the individual jurisdictions to reconsider whether or not they may well turn over commercial and even residential collection to a franchise operation. 4. Private haulers -how do they adjust their fees? Private haulers will need to adjust their fees to be competitive. Since those large haulers with owned or otherwise captive disposal facilities will no longer have a competitive advantage, additional smaller haulers will be able to compete. Also see #3 above.