WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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Monroe County officials are keeping an eye on proposed legislation that would severely limit a county’s ability to fund solid waste management districts through property taxes. Solid Waste Management Director Tom McGlasson said Senate Bill 465 has been assigned to a committee but hasn’t yet had a hearing.
“That bill sought to eliminate taxing authority of solid waste management districts, and would also allow for flat fees per household or another measuring stick that counties chose to utilize to fund the districts, but would prohibit those fees from being collected through the property tax rolls,” explained McGlasson.
If such restrictions were to make it into law, Committee Chair Cheryl Munson said the cost to the county would be significant.
“If the county were not allowed to collect the taxes or the fees, and funding was removed from property tax, which does have some advantages, we would be turning to the county to fund about $430,000 just to take care of the land fill. And that’s a $430,000 annual cost.”
McGlasson said he will continue to monitor the bill because its content could be incorporated into other legislation that is being heard.
