Taking steps to raising garbage rates, the City of Turlock mailed out a notification to tenants and property owners receiving solid waste services to inform them of the garbage collection costs and a proposed rate hike of just over 9 percent.
Turlock residents and property owners will now have the opportunity to protest the increase if they so choose, by filling out and returning a mail ballot.
On several occasions, and most recently at the July 28 Turlock City Council meeting, Councilman Bill DeHart has expressed concern of an uninformed citizenship, even if government is following public notification laws and protocol.
“I’d like to see us somehow reinforce our efforts to ensure our populous are not just informed, but that they understand completely the ramifications of not responding,” said Councilman DeHart. “Silence in this particular case is consent.”
If the majority of those qualified to submit a ballot – 50 percent plus one – protest the rate hike, it cannot be implemented.
Turlock Scavenger is proposing a one-time increase that will last for the next five years, rather than a series of small rate increases over five years.
The just over 9 percent rate increase for the common residential customers would amount to $2.30 (9.16 percent) for customers with 32 gallon grey, 68 gallon blue, and 95 gallon green bins; $3.10 (9.37 percent) for customers with 64 gallon grey, 68 gallon blue, and 95 gallon green bins; and $3.60 (9.45 percent) for customers with 96 gallon grey, 68 gallon blue, and 95 gallon green bins.
Currently, solid waste customers pay $25.10, $33.10, and $38.10 per month, respectively, depending on the service. This would be a one-time increase for residential customers and would be set for the next five years.
If the rate increase is approved, it will be the first for the trash collection provided by Turlock Scavenger since 2003, about 12 years ago.
Courtesy of Proposition 218, all affected tenants and property owners in Turlock will be given the chance to express their opinion about the possibility of an increased garbage rate.
The ballot explains that an owner or tenant of property that receives City of Turlock solid waste service may protest the proposed increased service charges by submitting a written protest by mail or in person to the City of Turlock, City Clerk, 156 S. Broadway, Ste. 230, Turlock, CA 95380. This means that all written protests must be received (not postmarked) by the City before or up to the conclusion of the public hearing. The ballot also notes that any protest submitted by email or other electronic means will not be accepted.
Also, according to the ballot, “Each protest must (1) be in writing;
(2) state opposition to the proposed solid rate increase; (3) provide the location of the identified parcel (by assessor's parcel number or street address); and (4) include the original signature of the record owner or customer of record submitting the protest.”
Only one written protest per customer will be counted toward the protest.
On Oct. 13, the Turlock City Council will hold a public hearing where it will accept the counting of the mail ballots and vote on the rate hike. If the majority protest is not reached, Council will vote to either approve or deny the rate hike.
The Public Hearing will be held on Oct. 13 at 6p.m. at Turlock City Hall, located at 156 S. Broadway.
Related Articles:
Public Notification Process to Raise Trash Rates on Council Agenda
City of Turlock Could Raise Garbage Rates, Property Owners to be Notified with Option to Protest
Nobody cares except the crazy owner who is anti government. There will only be 100 protest letters sent in or walked in like every other time rates have to be increased.
I remember the last rate increase this site tried to get people upset over. I seem to remember about 75 people cared. People on Facebook aren’t serious people and all they do is complain about things.
I think this is the owner of Turlock Scavenger’s house. It doesn’t look like he needs to take more people’s money barely making it in this bad economy.
This is corruption at the highest level with government raising his rates for him and people can’t do anything about going to another competitor.
What about the owner’s house? Are you stalking?
Nobody will approve any more rates or taxes in this economy!!! We have no money to take!!!!
Please everybody protest
I make less than I did 12 years ago
I thought I put a picture in the comment. This site won’t let me or they deleted it.
I saw it on the Bell real estate Facebook page when they posted houses in Turlock. It was big.
The city of Turlock should let people email our protest.
I expect most anything coming in the mail to be junk mail like the magazine full of coupons. I threw my letter in the trash and after seeing this got it out.
I like what Council Man Bill Dehart said.
I found it and uploaded it for all to see. It doesn’t look like Alan Marchant or Turlock Scavenger needs money.
http://imgur.com/YVfH3AN
Why doesn’t Turlock accept outside bids other than Scavengers?
They deserve an increase. This is a great family business that needs to raise salaries and make improvements like any other company. 12 years is forever when your rates are frozen. Scavenger does a great job for our community so lets keep the money local.
Looks like the owner Alan Marchant likes to take money from average people since he gets it back from the city!
Here he was part of the committee to try and push a road tax that would take more money and give it to the city. Then the city would give it to him and the other fat cats around Turlock.
https://www.turlockcitynews.com/news/item/3249-local-committee-promoting-turlock-road-tax-on-november-ballot
Let’s be fair. What was the price of a home and wages 12 years ago in 2003 and what are wages and home prices now? Of homes and wages went down them the rate should go down too and not up.
Did the rates go down during the recession?
I heard that Turlock Scavengers has a 99 year contract with the City of Turlock. Please give us all the facts if this is the case.
To Turlock Scavenger: Please do not raise our rates.
A 99 year contract? When was this signed and how much did Scavengers pay for a 99 year contract? Who was involved in this poor decision to give one company a monopoly at the tax payer expense?
Are nothing but little financial warlords who are trying to negotiate a absurd 99 year contract. Turlock is not benefitting, the marchant family is and they greasing the palms of the city council swine to make it happen. Time to route these people out before it’s too late.
I’m truly amazed at the misinformation and ignorance in the comments being made. What area in your life has not had the cost go up since 2003? Is your salary, car payment, house or rent payment, phone, TV / Internet, TID, PG&E, Water, Sewer, and Gasoline the same it was back in 2003 or has it gone up? Most likely gone up in every category and by more than 9% over that time period. How is it that you would consider that the costs for Turlock Scavenger have not gone up just as it has for everyone else. Could you survive in today’s economy with the salary you were making 12 years ago. Turlock Scavenger is not trying to take advantage of anyone. The costs of operating a business has gone up for everyone and that includes Turlock Scavenger. Please be realistic before you make your rants, raves and criticism and realize the cost of doing business has gone up in the last 12 years.
[b]in 2003 i made better money than now so raise my rates take more money ill be better off giving to a guy whos mansion cost more to heat and cool than my house payment a month
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Turlock Scavenger is guarenteed to make a profit with their contract. It has built in raises that must get approved by council.
Any increase requiring council approval is no guarantee. I’m not sure your point.
Very simple equation. Take your gross pay and devide it by one forth, now subtract that fourth by twelve, your total will be a added to your bill.
Is just trying to appeal to emotion so that the marchant family of little financial warlords can keep their monopoly going. S pauliss wants to get the favors and glad handing that this marchant family of financial warlords will give out to remain in power. It’s common knowledge that the refuse business is dominated by the mafia and turlock scavenger is no different. The marchant family wants to be the plantation owners and make the slaves continue to pay. The marchant family are a a group of dangerous, well financed, slave drivers who will stop at nothing to own turlock for 99 years.
Isn’t that huge house on waring road belong to that family? They don’t need no money. Darn RICH pig farmers
Pauliss must be a relative or a marchant .that’s why he or she is defending them. I use to work at that sh!t hole dump and that place makes so much money it’s not even funny and it’s mostly profit.you want to talk about giving your employees raises yeah they do need them case that place don’t give a shit about there employees. I worked there for 5 years and I asked for a raise they offered me a .10 cent raise .next day I quit and joined the carpenters union. Alan marchant is a dirt bag and so is his little spoiled son Jesse marchant. Raise are rates it’s just going to raise more anger towards the marchant family.
That huge house on Waring is paid for by the citizens of Turlock. Who would know that there is $$$$$ in garbage. And I told my friend’s kids not to be garbage men. Maybe I should reconsider.
Most ridiculous nonsense I have read on TCN. Keep grinding your axe for whatever reason. The Marchants are great folks but even if they weren’t Scavenger has done a great job for many years. The fact is they haven’t raised their rates in 12 years. I bet McDonald’s has give you 5 or 6 raises during that time.
Who cares how big their house is. Whatever they do with the money the earn from scavenger they can do whatever with. All this taxpayer sense of entitlement brought on by tea party is ridiculous. Get over yourself u are not the only one that pays taxes. The prop 218 process is a legal process by California law and if they can’t get enough to pass it then story is over.
how about the affordable trash act! the dems will love it
put your toilet seat on your trash can and flush your trash down the toilet lets see who needs more money city of turlock or scavengers.
This is the only logical way to think about this. This is the only company in town that has a guarantee revenue. what would it be like to have to buy your groceries at one store? Shop at one store for your clothing? We as consumers have to right to seek out bids for our services. How can a 99 year contract with government be legal?
id your defense is the family gives so much back to the community then let’s take the revenue they actually take in and let’s see what the actual percentage they really do give back to the community. Put its a very small percentage.
guest has pointed out something i never thought about till now. seeing how garbage is tied in with your water/ sewer, i could see how government could charge for the air we breath. WATER/SEWER/GARBAGE/AIR. pay for it or no water same as the trash bill. pay attention people. air programs and studys take money and they want more!
We do pay for air. the smog program. Also known as CARB. Back to the topic i dont want to pay more for things thats all.
S Pauliss panders to local financial warlords and cannot logically argue her position without insulting the other person. This shows in the lack of a coherent response other than appealing to emotion. S Pauliss is part of the problem just like turlock city leaders and employees and turlock scavenger.