Letter: Do the Math

Dear Editor,

I received an interesting form letter Saturday in the mail sent by The City of Cedar Key firmly requesting that I pick a trash bin for the new solid waste and recycling program. Wow! Was my first response. Am I to understand that even if I pick the smallest size of bins, that I am to pay $3.18 more and get pick up service only once a week??? Hmmm, Okay I know gas has gone up, but doesn`t that mean we are paying double for a lesser service? No, wait we are paying more than double for a lesser service! Right? Let me do the math.

Current contract:
$18.50 month, 2 times weekly pick up based on 52 weeks, that`s 12 X $18.50/104 times trash picked up yearly = 2.134 ($2.13) per pickup.

New contract:
$21.68 mo. (smallest bin) 1 time weekly pick up based on 52 weeks, that`s 12 X $21.68/52 times trash picked up yearly = 5.00 ($5.00) per pickup.

Isn`t that like 135% higher for half the service?

Let me see now, once weekly trash pick up, a limited size bin, higher price on the service, and we have to buy extra bags that are not reusable for $2.00 each for overflow. Did anyone do the math?

I, myself, have minimum trash, but what about our struggling businesses, and our clam farmers? You know the ones who voted our city commissioners into office, so that they would look after their best interest. How does this new contract reflect that?

From my understanding, a phone poll was done on this issue and if you weren`t home, I guess you didn`t have an opinion!

Why are we (our elected officials) so willing to jump at the first bid on the table? Are we to think that this contract is the best out there for us? In addition, is there only one trash service in Florida ?

I myself am signing right up for this program, and I am looking for a bridge to buy now, because our city commissioners already bought me the swampland!

Tina Roberts (The Restless Native)