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recycling math
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Jim Masland
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Feb 24, 2004 08:44 PST
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Folks concerned about how much it costs taxpayers to operate the
recycling center on Route 113 might consider the following:
During 2003, Suzanne and I tred out about one bag of mixed waste per
month at $2.85/bag = $34.20/year. We were able to remove from the waste
stream 3 to 4 times that much in recyclables and other stuff at no
charge.
With out the recycling center our cost would have been at least
$136.80/year. We saved $102.60 or more.
Neither of us drives down Route 5 to the Hartford facility. At
37cents/per mile, driving there once a would have cost us $168.72, not
counting the lost time.
So what did our use of Thetford's recycling center cost us in tax
dollars? The town spent $36,879.12 on the recycling center out of total
town expenditures of $860,141.06 (not highway, not school). That's
4.29% of the town budget. In turn, the town taxes are 8.80% of our
total tax rate (.2289/2.6007). So, recycling expenses are 0.378% of
each household's tax bill. That's right, multiply your tax bill by
.00378.
So, for our household, our cost in taxes was $6,551.16 x .00378 =
$24.75. That's not much for what we get in direct services. And that
doesn't include the benefits of getting recyclable out of the waste
stream, visiting with people on Saturday morning, and the "treasure
exchange" features of books, misc. household goodies and checking out
the metal pile.
Please support continued funding of the town's recycling program. And
by all means, use it. Save money, save the environment too!
Jim Masland
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