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Garbage Fees May Increase

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By JOYCE McKENZIE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

TEMPLE TERRACE - City officials are considering increases in garbage collection fees and utility charges.

Members of the Temple Terrace City Council on Tuesday recommended increasing the monthly residential sanitation fee from $18.85 per month to $20.64. The residential fee of $14.85 per month for senior citizens who qualify for Temple Terrace's additional property tax exemption would remain the same. Fees also would increase for commercial customers.

There would be a charge of $64 for special yard waste pickups and $70 for collection of other discarded material such as furniture and appliances. The charge is based on a 15-minute pickup time, so fees would be doubled if an additional 15 minutes or any portion thereof were required.

If the proposed changes are approved, it will be the first sanitation rate increase since June 3, 2003.

'If there is no rate adjustment ... expenses will continue to outpace revenues and the public works budget will be depleted by Sept. 30, 2009,' said city finance director Diane Reichard.

To determine the rates, the city staff projected expenditures for the next five years. Personnel and waste disposal costs, the two major expense factors according to Reichard, are projected to increase annually by 5.5 percent through 2012. Waste disposal costs could rise 7 percent in 2008 and 5 percent thereafter through 2012. Other operating expenses, Reichard added, will most likely increase 3 percent in each of the next five years.

Proposed changes in utility charges include doubling the deposit for owner-occupied residences for water and sewer service from $50 to $100 and the tenant-occupied deposit from $100 to $200.

Late payment fees would increase from $5 to $10, and service call charges would be $25 during regular business hours and $40 for after-hour service requests.

The objective is to offset the city's loss when residents and renters vacate their living quarters without paying their final utility bills, Reichard said.

The public may weigh in on the proposed increases at the Oct. 16 city council meeting.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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