Paying For Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

I am heaing rumblings of a move by a group in Walton County that wants to place a referendum on the November Ballot to repeal the 1% discreationary sales tax. They seek to redirect those funds (12.5 million LY) to widen CO HWY 3280 and build a bypass around DeFuniak Springs and other paving projects.

The current 1% tax goes to pay for your garbage collection, Economic Development, operate the County landfill, and pay for Capital Improvements, like the court house, jail and the expanding parks in Freeport, South Walton and DeFuniak Springs, and 1.5 million for paving projects.

They propose that we individually pay for garbage and refuge collection (estimated at about $35.00 per month - in todays dollars), and further reduce the capital projects funding.

If this referendum were approved by the Board of County Commissioners would you be in support of this effort ?

What is your source for the information about what the 1% tax pays for?
I have been trying to get this clarified.

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

the freedom from a monthly garbage bill is an appealling aspect of living here and we all know that the morons around here will destroy our environment with trash if they are required to pay for the service- my goodness, they already dump trash in our forests and they can leave the stuff curbside for less effort.

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

I agree with idlewind. Mandatory trash pick up is 99% nesseccity in a tourist/transient area. Just look to the east and see what is happening in Bay County. They are finally grasping the idea that people who visit aren't too worried if that trash can isn't actually going to be picked up.

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

My source ?

The CAFR (Annual Audit) for Walton County 2003,2004,2005,2006. The are available in pdf format online at the Clerk of Courts website.

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

I lived around here when we were getting taxed just the same and we had to take our trash to blue mountain. I also noticed how much crap weekly that is dumped on the roads. I walk 30A and 283 and I am amazed when I see people just tossing crap out the window without a thought. I have done my own survey by state tags and I think Alabama takes first place!!!!!

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

I just noticed my last post was 420 and I don't smoke dope. If things continue like they are I might start!!!!

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

I wouldn't mind seeing a Michigan-style bottle deposit law. Ten cents a can or bottle for beer or pop really does cut down on that kind of litter.

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

Sounds contradictory, repealing taxes, but redirecting the money. How does that work? If there is no tax, there should be no money to redirect.

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

Sorry, Left out that part. They would repeal the current statute (which was not approved by a referendum - was approved by a super majority of the Commission in 1994. They would propose a replacement tax of 1% that would make the tax bondable.

Swap a 1% discretionary tax useage for a 1% discreationary tax pledged to roads and bridges.

Net effect - you would pay about $360 more per year for garbage and get identified roads built or updated, no money for Economic Development and less money for Parks and other capital improvements.

If they want to four lane 3280, maybe Loyd and MC should pay for it. They are the primary ones who would seem to benefit.

Wow !

What a disaster this would be. We need to look a all the large parcels on 3280 to find out the real beneficiaries of this raid on the treasury.

Bet the same names would appear as the group being mentioned.

You could probably start with the first two I mentioned.

Re: Garbage Collection In Your Future ?

My source ?

The CAFR (Annual Audit) for Walton County 2003,2004,2005,2006. The are available in pdf format online at the Clerk of Courts website.

Thank you.

I think the 1% tax is a great way to pay for things. I'd pay 1.5% to get curbside recycling and and additional/well maintained bike paths.

Funny you mentioned well maintained bike paths. Earlier this month, the BCC moved money earmarked as Seagrove Bike Paths, into painting stripes on the bike path, at the crossings. Who cares if your bike goes out of control due to the shotty paving, as long as we have some lines at the crossings for people to ignore.

I already pay for garbage service. I would like to know more about this group:scratch:

Sorry, Left out that part. They would repeal the current statute (which was not approved by a referendum - was approved by a super majority of the Commission in 1994. They would propose a replacement tax of 1% that would make the tax bondable

Okay, someone please help me out here. Why do we need it to be bondable? So we can spend it before we get it? So we can pay interest on it? So we can transfer the cost of trash pickup to the taxpayers and still get their 1%?
I am thinking it is a rather poorly disguised tax increase. Am I missing something?

And one more thing. If you have questions about where and how the 1% sales tax gets spent, wait until you try to figure out the public works budget.

Funny you mentioned well maintained bike paths. Earlier this month, the BCC moved money earmarked as Seagrove Bike Paths, into painting stripes on the bike path, at the crossings. Who cares if your bike goes out of control due to the shotty paving, as long as we have some lines at the crossings for people to ignore.

I hate those stripes! Even more annoying on roller blades! IMO the entire bike/multiuse path should be a continuous strip of smooth blacktop - much more distinctive/noteworthy to a driver than stripes!

I tried to give you some rep points for that one, but it says I have to spread them around.

I already pay for garbage service. I would like to know more about this group:scratch:

Can you explain in further detail?

Bondable means that they could pledge the tax collections receipts as collateral for the Bonds/Loans they would issue for the projects. This plan would allow for the acceleration of building roads.

As far as who the group is comprised of - I only know afew of those trying to drive the issue. A Destin Attorney ( owns 2500 acres on 3280 with other partners(?)) I think the other owns property in DeFunaik Springs that would be affected by the proposed by-pass in DeFuniak. They have not been explicit with which roads would be built, but those were the two frequently mentioned. Most are developers - real estate brokers, etc - who are curently unable to develope their properties due to the current roards being over capacity. (no traffic concurrency on the affected segments of the roads).

The legslature 2 years ago allowed for them to pay a "proportionate fair share" of the costs associated with the road segments, but they don't like the cost that they have been given for their "fair share".


I have been told that they have held two organizational, information meetings at the Chamber office in South Walton in the past 30 days.

I believe they are to bring the issue to the Political Action Committe of the Chamber of Commerce on April 18th. If approved ther it would go to the full Chamber Board.

If approved by the Chamber Board it would become an issue that the chamber would present to the BCC asking for them to place the issue on a election schedule for a referendum vote.

It is definitely a cost increase to those who are residents of Walton County. They would still pay the 1% discreationary sales tax and would now receive a bill for garbage and refuse removal.(est $360.00 per year per home)

Seems like a bad idea to me.

Can you explain in further detail?

Which sentence?

I pay for trash service at my home. Is this an organized group proposing this and what is their name?

oops. rebel just described it. Thanks

Which sentence?

I pay for trash service at my home. Is this an organized group proposing this and what is their name?

oops. rebel just described it. Thanks

I thought residential city service was free. I know I pay at the office. But my garbage at my house is picked up at no charge due to the 1% sales tax.

I thought residential city service was free. I know I pay at the office. But my garbage at my house is picked up at no charge due to the 1% sales tax.

Wow, It's listed on the bill but the charge is .00. I just always remembered it being listed and haven't looked at the charge in ages because my bill always runs the same. Thanks, I need to use my glasses more oftenI vote no

Wow, It's listed on the bill but the charge is .00. I just always remembered it being listed and haven't looked at the charge in ages because my bill always runs the same. Thanks, I need to use my glasses more oftenI vote no

So does that mean I saved you $30 a month? Kewl! lol