Bristol, Va. has had its fair share of landfill issues lately and it looks like it will be passing the issue to citizens by raising solid waste fees.
As noted, a few weeks ago, Bristol, Virginia City Council are prepared to increase the solid waste fee for residents by more than $30, totaling $72 for everyone. Citizens are concerned with raising rates and taxes, as the City Council just voted to increase the real estate tax as well.
“An extra 30 some dollars a month to bring it to 72 is a lot, it's a very valid concern,” says City of Bristol, Virginia Mayor Neal Osborne. “I don't want to pay it; I don't think anyone wants to pay it,” said one Bristol resident.
Another resident added, “When you're looking at over $400 a year being put into waste collection, yeah that's a problem.”
Mayor Neal Osborne is estimating that landfill repairs will cost more than $60 million, although Osborne also commented that the city has been turned down for federal funding and will need to find the money elsewhere immediately.
“We have to find a way to be able to fund the landfill and continue to operate to take our trash and, we have to be able to pay for those big capital projects to meet our requirements by the state,” says Osborne. “So, we're kind of between a rock and a hard place.”