h1. Toledo Blade stories about Toledo's illegal refuse fee tax

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2007/03/31/Toledo-City-Council-plans-5-50-a-month-trash-fee.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/08/10/Group-opposes-Toledo-refuse-fee-increase.html

https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/02/27/Council-assumes-control-of-trash-fee.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/02/16/Toledo-officials-say-canceling-trash-fee-may-be-too-costly.html

https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/02/04/Toledo-authority-to-impose-trash-fee-is-debated.html

https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2010/05/06/Bell-to-ask-City-Council-to-decrease-trash-fee.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2010/05/25/Toledo-City-Council-reduces-trash-fee.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2010/05/25/Toledo-City-Council-reduces-trash-fee.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2010/05/19/No-discount-for-recycling-in-city-trash-fee-proposal.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/03/26/Council-votes-to-hike-trash-fee-cut-cost-for-recyclers.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2010/05/19/No-discount-for-recycling-in-city-trash-fee-proposal.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2011/02/18/Countywide-trash-plan-touted.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/03/24/Toledo-weighs-options-for-saving-millions-on-trash-collection.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/02/15/City-trash-fee-may-jump-to-10-a-month-or-drop-to-0.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/09/30/Szollosi-Collins-duck-vote-on-trash-fee-boost.html

https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/03/28/Trash-rates-have-Toledo-seeing-green.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2010/04/01/Toledo-budget-balanced-but-difficult-work-looms.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/09/29/Toledo-councilman-leaves-meeting-to-avoid-controversial-vote.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/10/03/Mayor-attacks-vote-duckers.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2009/04/27/Mayor-again-demands-council-acts-on-budget-cutting-proposals.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2011/01/28/Toledo-plagued-by-carry-over-deficit-of-up-to-6M.html

https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/09/29/Toledo-councilman-leaves-meeting-to-avoid-controversial-vote.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/07/22/Overdue-bills-rise-as-water-rates-soar.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/04/29/Toledo-City-Council-says-no-to-billing-for-fire-calls.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/03/27/Sarantou-says-delaying-cuts-makes-hole-deeper.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/04/23/City-council-facing-votes-to-increase-city-revenue.html



http://www.toledoblade.com/search?query=%22refuse+fee%22&contenttypes=STORY



hr.


One more swipe at Toledo's illegal tax/refuse fee:

Mar 31, 2007 Toledo Blade "story":http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2007/03/31/Toledo-City-Council-plans-5-50-a-month-trash-fee.html when it all began:

q.
A divided Toledo City Council yesterday [Mar 30, 2007] adopted a 2007 budget that establishes a $5.50 monthly trash collection fee $3 for those who recycle.

The trash fee, which is expected to raise $2.9 million in 2007, *expires on April 30, 2008.*
q..


br. Feb 16, 2008 Toledo Blade story titled "Toledo officials say canceling trash fee may be too costly":http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/02/16/Toledo-officials-say-canceling-trash-fee-may-be-too-costly.html

q.
An idea to charge Toledo residents who don't recycle a higher trash fee and *nothing for those who do recycle* at the curbside is admirable, but may create a budget crunch, Bill Franklin, the city's director of public service, told a council committee yesterday.

*"My problem is if everyone signs up [to pay] zero, we are getting zero revenue,"* Mr. Franklin said during a committee of the whole meeting.

Councilman George Sarantou acknowledged that the idea could increase recycling. "If the money doesn't come in because everyone is recycling, then you have a $4.8 million problem," Mr. Sarantou said.
q..

Allegedly, republicans like Sarantou voted for Carty's illegal tax because the deal was that it would only be implemented for one year. But when the illegal tax brings in that much revenue, it's hard to say no.



br.  Mar 28, 2008 Toledo Blade "story":https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/03/28/Trash-rates-have-Toledo-seeing-green.html :

q.
Toledo City Council on Tuesday decided by an 8-4 vote to increase the city's trash collection fee to $7 a month for those who don't recycle and $2 a month for those who do.

The refuse fee will increase again on May 1, 2009, to $8.50 a month for those who don't recycle and drop to $1 for those who do.

Beginning May 1, 2010, the fee will increase again to $10 a month for those who don't recycle, and *drop to +zero+ for those who participate in recycling.*
q..


br. You can "find a ton of refuse fee stories":http://www.toledoblade.com/search?query=%22refuse+fee%22&contenttypes=STORY at the Toledo Blade, mainly between 2007 and 2012.


br. And now what's the status of the one-year illegal tax that was meant to generate $2.9 million in 2007 but was extended beyond one year with the intention of charging recyclers zero dollars?

* http://toledo.oh.gov/services/finance/budget
* http://toledo.oh.gov/media/169805/2015-Approved-Budget-Book.pdf

q.
*General Fund Revenue and Other Sources*

Refuse collection fees total *$8,800,000 for 2015.* 

Refuse collection revenue comes from a fee billed to  citizens for collection services provided through Lucas County Solid Waste Management. 

Refuse fees are  unchanged from 2014. *Regular/recycle customers pay  $8.95 monthly,* while homestead customers pay  $5.00.
q..

I assume that all $8.8 million are given to