Corning residents will soon be digging deeper to pay for garbage collection. A reluctant city council approved the rate hike "Corning Disposal" says it needs to offset increased costs.
At a little more than five percent, the increase represents about a dollar-three cents a month. But, in a county with a 14 percent unemployment rate, and in a city with many retirees ... it still has an impact on those who are struggling.
The vote was three to two by Corning City Council members to approve the higher fees. City Manager Steve Kimbrough says the annual review is based on a formula that considers the cost of living index and fuel costs, "The recession hasn't ended and costs are up and the biggest cause of the increase is diesel fuel costs."
Alicia Gutierrez is a mother of two who says even small increases add up, especially for seniors and people who've lost their jobs. Gutierrez says, "For something as insignificant as garbage to go up is insane, when you hardly fill it up. I feel it's wrong."
Even with the increase, Kimbrough says Corning has one of the lowest garbage collection rates around, "We still have the best rates in the valley, only Anderson and Shasta Lake City have lower rates. They're closer to the dump and the dump has a lower rate per ton."
Corning also offers more services than many other communities. Street sweeping is part of the contract, and garbage collection also includes four curbside pickups a year of old furniture and appliances.
The City Manager says council members are sensitive to the impact on residents. He says under state law it would take protests from half the city's eleven hundred property owners to stop the rate hike. But, only four of the cards mailed out to them came back checked No".
The new prices are scheduled to take effect in March.
