The proposal the Waterville Council is considering for trash pickup (pay-as-you-throw) and recycling at the curbside for all residents may be a cost-effective way to reduce the city’s budget costs. As City Manager Michael Roy has mentioned several times in the Morning Sentinel, the saving would be about $300,000 per year.

In Tom Tietenberg”s letter to editor on April 26, he estimates from his studies on this subject that the savings for property owners in Waterville would be over $497,000 per year.

As a senior living in Waterville and disabled, I feel this new trash and recycling proposal would be good as long as any savings from this change in trash and recycle be applied only to lowering the property taxes on all Waterville property owners, not anything else.

Waterville property taxes have increased to the point that many seniors and property owners have a difficult time paying for housing, food, heat, electricity, prescriptions and medical care.

This would be a positive way for the Waterville City Council and Mayor Karen Heck to show that they can help all Waterville property owners by lowering their property taxes.

William SmithWaterville


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