Wrestling a trash fee increase

DOWNTOWN TOLEDO - Toledo City Council is still wrestling with a possible trash fee increase.

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner wants to see it jump to $10, or $7 if you recycle, as a way to fix the $8.6 million budget deficit.

Council is considering a program which would possibly offset that cost with some incentives.

On Thursday, the council's finance committee will discuss a program called "Garbage for Groceries." The program would offer incentives for those who recycle once automated garbage collection begins in January.

"I think this is a win-win for the citizens and for the city,” said City Council President Joe McNamara. "This is a way to help balance the deficit, it's a way to put more money in Toledoans' pockets to help them pay for groceries. It's a way to help protect the environment."

Council is considering contracting with a company called Recycle Bank . It would reward those who recycle by giving them gift certificates and coupons to local stores, including Kroger.

It would all be based on the amount of recyclables collected on your garbage route. Recycle Bank would track the tonnage and give you points you can cash in for rewards. Recycle Bank predicts the average of Toledoan could collect $240 worth of incentives a year.

"If the mayor's proposal to raise the refuse fee is linked to this basically Toledoans would be paid back five times what the mayor's proposed refuse fee increase would be, so you'd be trading garbage for groceries,” McNamara said.

Toledo City Council’s Finance Committee will meet Thursday, Aug. 6, at 4 p.m. in council chambers.