http://blog.timesunion.com/schenectady/talking-trash-in-schenectady/3554/

"The 2014 budget for the city of Schenectady, approved Oct. 30, includes a 0.9 percent tax increase. For a home assessed at $100,000, that’s a $15 increase. But there’s also a $15 increase in the garbage fee assessed on homeowners. That’s because, in some Schenectady neighborhoods, only about 8 percent of residents recycle. Other neighborhoods see about 35 percent of residents recycle. (That’s compared to 87 percent and higher in some Niskayuna neighborhoods.)"

OMG, how many times do Schenectadians have to pay for the same service? BTW, I recycle and always have, Schenectady does not ACCEPT enough recyclables, and in Niskayuna I believe the recyclables are not picked up by government workers anyway, so it does not compare.
When our highly-paid garbage guru realized the trucks that mechanically pick up those large recycling bins you throw everything in, which some communities use, wouldn't fit on our streets, he gave up trying to figure out how we could easily recycle more, apparently.
I am sick of communists with money who are so full of ideas about what we all should be made to do.

Wait til they get done with Rottendam!  

Quoted from Madam X

http://blog.timesunion.com/schenectady/talking-trash-in-schenectady/3554/

"The 2014 budget for the city of Schenectady, approved Oct. 30, includes a 0.9 percent tax increase. For a home assessed at $100,000, that’s a $15 increase. But there’s also a $15 increase in the garbage fee assessed on homeowners. That’s because, in some Schenectady neighborhoods, only about 8 percent of residents recycle. Other neighborhoods see about 35 percent of residents recycle. (That’s compared to 87 percent and higher in some Niskayuna neighborhoods.)"

OMG, how many times do Schenectadians have to pay for the same service? BTW, I recycle and always have, Schenectady does not ACCEPT enough recyclables, and in Niskayuna I believe the recyclables are not picked up by government workers anyway, so it does not compare.
When our highly-paid garbage guru realized the trucks that mechanically pick up those large recycling bins you throw everything in, which some communities use, wouldn't fit on our streets, he gave up trying to figure out how we could easily recycle more, apparently.
I am sick of communists with money who are so full of ideas about what we all should be made to do.

Perhaps the City should open up a recyclable redemption center.  Offer the residents $5 per ton for recycleables and then still profit on the $15 spread.  If the city did the same with appliances they would also pick up some huge income.  Instead they allow Predels to take the appliances.  What does Predels have that the Trasfer Station doesnt?  Have you ever seen a city truck with appliances on it.  Nope, but we did just buy a couple of brand new trucks with liftgates to be used for picking up appliances.  

City workers recycle at Predel's.
We Schenectadians endured a nearly 25% increase in our taxes, with NO increase in service, much the opposite. Then, we had a garbage fee added, WITHOUT removing a corresponding amount from our property taxes. So we were already paying twice for the same service. Adding the fee allowed the city to collect money from entities such as colleges, so where did the 'extra' money go? Since then, we've had at least two increases in the garbage fee, plus property tax increases, so unless the cost per ton of dumping in Rochester has quadrupled, the increase in the garbage fee CANNOT be because "people don't recycle enough". We've already paid, many times over, the actual cost of dumping ALL garbage in Rochester, and if someone wants to tell me I'm wrong, let him or her give me some hard numbers that prove otherwise.
Yes, garbage recycled is less garbage dumped, I don't deny that, but the REASON for the INCREASE in the fee? Utter nonsense. Go take a hike through Hamilton Hill and scold the residents for not separating their trash properly. Not you, TiB, the person who wrote the thing. Don't hold your breath looking for the city to find 'solutions' either, TiB, they already have their solution, it's called YOUR PROPERTY.

The city is profiting on the garbage before the $15 and will after the raise even more.  The same with the water and sewer fees.  The amount taken in for these services is far and above the amount of expense to provide these services.  The rest is funneled into the general fund tom pay other things.