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Smart Voter
Hamilton County, OH November 8, 2011 Election
Issue 47
Proposed Charter Amendment
City of Cincinnati
Majority Approval Required

Pass: 32,822 / 51.97% Yes votes ...... 30,336 / 48.03% No votes

See Also: Index of all Issues
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments |

Shall the Charter of the City of Cincinnati be amended to prohibit the City, its various boards, agencies and departments, from assessing, levying, or collecting any tax or general assessment on real properties, or against the owners or occupants thereof, for the collection, transportation or disposal of trash, garbage, waste, rubbish or refuse by enacting new Article XVII?
YES
NO

Impartial Analysis from League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area
EXPLANATION: This proposed Ballot Issue would amend the Charter of the City of Cincinnati by adding a new Article XVII. The amendment would prohibit the City from assessing, levying or collecting any tax or assessment for the collection, transportation or disposal of garbage or other waste. This proposed Charter amendment was placed on the ballot through an initiative petition process that gathered sufficient qualified signatures requiring City Council to place the issue on the November 2011 ballot.

WHAT THE AMENDMENT WOULD DO: The new Charter article would prohibit the City from assessing, levy- ing, or collecting any tax or general assessment on real properties, or against the owners or occupants thereof, for the collection, transportation or disposal of trash, garbage. waste, rubbish or refuse.

For purposes of the Amendment the term "City" includes the City's various boards, agencies, departments and commissions. For purposes of this summary, "garbage" includes trash, garbage, waste, rubbish, and refuse. Currently all single-family households and small multi-unit complexes receive curbside garbage/yard waste collection and curbside recycling service from the City. Garbage collection and re- cycling services are currently paid for by the City's general operating fund supported mainly by city earnings and property taxes. Most businesses and commercial establishments in the City contract for private garbage collection.

BACKGROUND: This Charter amendment is on the November 2011 ballot because sufficient signatures were collected in a petition effort in response to proposals over the past three budget years by the City Manager to include a monthly garbage collection fee in the City budget. No garbage collection taxes or assessments have been passed by City Council to date.

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Cincinnati Enquirer

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Arguments For Issue 47 Arguments Against Issue 47
Proponents Say:

  • A Charter Amendment is a good way to stop a city garbage fee from ever being implemented.

  • Residents should not have to pay a separate garbage levy or assessment; garbage collection should be covered by the taxes residents already pay.

Opponents Say:

  • City Council needs to maintain flexibility in its budget and may have to resort to considering fees in order to maintain the current level of garbage collection in the City.

  • A growing number of other cities are charging for garbage collection, especially volume or weight based charges, to encourage residents to throw less away.

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Created: January 20, 2012 12:04 PST
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