Bostock: New expensive recycling programs don't make sense given cuts

With deep budget cuts at the sheriff's office and county programs, Pinellas County Commissioner Nancy Bostock wants the county to rethink a much bally-hooed new program: curbside recycling pickup.

The recycling program is supposed to begin Jan. 1 and cost up to $10 million annually.

But Bostock said that when $85 million is being cut from the budget, utility fees could rise and new fees for parks could be charged, spending money on recycling pickup makes her scratch her head. The new program would be paid with utility fees, not property taxes, but Bostock said residents have told her curbuside pickup is unnecessary.

"All of the things that we’ve talked about in my opinion are more important than curbside recyclying, and we already have a very good program," Bostock said Thursday.

David DeCamp, Times staff writer

Comments

[awhitewolf]

...curbside recycling is a losing proposition, much like karl nurse. It sure didn't take him long to turn into a government houndog...he must have guzzled the koolaid...

[Bostock is right]

That's right. Recycle your children, not cans.

[Zen Master]

Curbside recycling is a moral imperative!

Bostock says "residents have told her curbuside pickup is unnecessary." I say Bostock is a LIER!

Everyone I know complains about this. It's crazy that a county as large as ours would even consider not offering this essential service.

As for Karl's support of Curbside recycling.. it's one of the main reasons I like him.

[awhitewolf]

...perhaps st. petersburg might consider providing another essential service...a viable police department...

[shuturyap]

I think in an effort to save money the city should offer centralized sanitation drops(like in the country) with recycling bins also. This not only saves the city money it helps a city that calls itself "green", act one more way like one.

[shuturyap]

I think in an effort to save money the city should offer centralized sanitation drops(like in the country) with recycling bins also. This not only saves the city money it helps a city that calls itself "green", act one more way like one.

[Drop off your recycling!]

Recycling is good... expensive curbside pick up is not!

[Bostock always has the wrong answer...]

This coming from a woman who adopted a special-needs kid then handed that kid back over to the state because it was too expensive.

What a b....

Anything she's against I'm for.

[lower my taxes]

Must be why Welch wants to raise our taxes.

[mellomom]

We must always remember that the best thing for the environment is not neccessarily the most obvious thing. The best thing is what is going to be the least waste and the least expense when EVERYTHING is factored in. We may all want to feel good about cloth diapers, but once everything is factored in they cost more to the environmment than the disposalable ones. Those that love the environment should look at ALL costs when evaluating the solution, not just the quickest or the most "PC". Thank you Nancy Bostock for doing that for us!! And keep doing it so we know what is REALLY environmentally sound and what is fiction. THANKS for all you do!

[Norm]

The County Administration and Commission’s cutting of services and “working” staff is as short-sighted and irresponsible as their inattentive leadership that allowed it to reach this point in the first place. There are many, many ways to cover the $85-million shortfall. In fact, the $85-million equates to just over 4% of last years’ budget; a budget that increase near 90% over the previous 4-years. Waste and unnecessary spending dominates our county government, and that’s where the cuts need to be made – not in services and working staff that serve taxpayers.

Recycling can be funded using several avenues. Service consolidation, expanding the concept to include product manufacturing, and using some of the 24-million generated annually by the Refuse-to-energy plant.

Moreover, any cost increases and/or cuts at the Utilities Department doesn’t even make sense. Utilities is a separate enterprise funding structure that isn’t connected to property tax in any way. They are self-supporting and even turn a profit. So cost increases or cuts there, must simply be political in nature; designed to give taxpayers the “perception” that our County leadership is balanced and fiscally responsible, as we enter a re-election season.

[Curbside pickup is good]

Curbside pick-up would be great in an ideal world where money is not an object and where every resident is committed to recycling. Since neither is the case, door-to-door pick-up is a waste of our valuable tax dollars!

[Norm]

Curbside recycling is only a waste if we fail to capitalize on its potential or commit to its purpose.

[Zen Master]

In Response to Curbsidepickupisgood at 8:07.

Money you say is important. So offer a discount to households that recycle of $5-$10 a month. That will increasethe number of residents participating.

Also recover more on the backside. As Norm said above "expanding the concept to include product manufacturing"

Invite a company that uses recycled aluminum to build a plant in the city. Another that handles paper products. It adds to the manufacturing base and creates jobs which helps increase the Tax Income that the County generates.

[Zen Master]

In Response to Ms. Bostock at 7:58.

I'm not sure how diapers wafted into the conversation but keep several handy because you are definately full of something.

Since you articulated no specific problems with curbside recycling -other than distate for cloth diapers- I assume you are opposed to it simply because you think you have to as a Republican?

Factoring in ALL costs and EVERYTHING leads one to conclude that the need for curbside recycling is incontrovertible.

[Norm]

Mr. Zen Master,

I've been talking about for years. It's a great opportunity to improve our economic and job growth potential.

[Florida Voter]

I support recycling, i don't support curb-side pick-up

How about having only those that want curbside pick-up pay for it?

[Norm]

The revenue is to make this happen is there. We could certainly force it through franchising, but that’s unnecessary at this juncture. A countywide program tied into economic and job growth through is a very viable plan – and it’s directly tied to our ability to remain self-sustaining, by expanding the life of our landfill operations. If you think it costs too much now, try trucking nearly 8-tons of trash a day out of our county.

This makes sense on several different levels, and we should have been on it years ago. The longer we ignore the inevitable and pragmatic benefits, the more it will cost.

[Move on!]

7:36

Can we stop with the completely irrelevant personal attacks on Bostock. She won the election. Move on!!

[Let's stop wasting money]

Finally, an elected official with some common sense. Good for Bostock for actually considering facts before taking a position. Curbside pickup is a losing proposition. It is high cost with low benefit since so much of the county's waste is already recycled at the incinerator. And what of all the extra greenhouse gasses that are going to be pumped in to the atmosphere if we deploy a fleet of curbside recycle vehicles. Think people!!!

[awhitewolf]

...no doubt, recycling is good, but do we need to create another government entity like the psta...you know, the bus system where a very very few ride and the taxpayers pick up the increasing subsidy costs...It is time for this country, this state, and this county to take a big dose of reality and act in the best interests of all...

[Norm]

I would second 9:30’s post, and I can see much value in debating the “common sense” factor of our local leadership as a whole, at this point – but clearly there are some differing opinions on the recycling issue. A complete and all-inclusive cost-to-benefit analysis of the concepts and potential is worthy of the effort. I researched the concepts for years, and from my perspective, it can be done.

awhitewolf, the cost of the redundancy in the way we're doing now is far greater than it could be if we consolidated the effort and sought to implement an economic benefit factor.

[Norm]

check that: Make it "can't" see much value in...

[Zen Master]

In Response to 9:34

Who said " what of all the extra greenhouse gasses that are going to be pumped in to the atmosphere if we deploy a fleet of curbside recycle vehicles."

Actually the amount of GH Gases emitted by a small "fleet" is less than the large "fleet" of people going back and forth between their recycling drop off center. I drive approx. 60 blocks to get to the closest site to my home. 1 way! Think how much gas I am burning! I save up and take large amounts but still!

Multiply that by the thousands of people using the sites weekly and it a much bigger # than the county "fleet" would emit.

"Think people!!!"

[Norm]

Zen Master, if I’m not mistaken that was Mayor Baker’s angle, and an weak one at that. In relation to what I noted earlier, think of what trucking nearly 8-tons of refuse a-day out of our county would produce in GH gasses. Although I don’t think GH gasses is really the issue.