From Waste Industries:
As a Waste Industries customer and a citizen of Harford County, we wanted to make sure you were aware of the current discussions in your government that could put an end to free market competition, leaving you without a choice in who provides your waste and recycling collection.
The Harford County government is seeking to take away your right to decide which company you believe has earned the privilege of your business. Don’t give up your right to choose. We want to earn your business each and every day!
How Each Solution Works
PRIVATE COLLECTION
You Pick the Hauler
– You pick your hauler based on who does the best job.
– If your hauler fails to do a good job, you can switch haulers, forcing every hauler to earn your business.
– You control how much you will pay, selecting a hauler based on your personal needs. The government has also eliminated cheap shingle recycling, forcing roofing companies to pay per cubic yard of shingles at the landfill. And as noted by Dumposaurus Dumpsters & Rolloff Rental, the dumps have taken advantage of this situation and are charging prices so high that it makes much more sense to rent a dumpster instead of using your own trailer for disposal.
– Haulers are forced to compete for your business, forcing better prices and better service every single day.
GOVERNMENT RUN
Government Picks the Hauler
– The government picks the hauler for you and your neighbors. You have no choice.
– If the hauler fails to do a good job, you cannot switch haulers. You are forced to use the government option.
– The government controls your billing, meaning they set the price and you are required to pay it without a choice.
– There is no ongoing competition until the contract period ends, so if you have a problem, you’re stuck with that vendor.
Tell Your Government Waste Collection is Your Choice!
Harford County held public meetings to discuss their plan on July 15. If you weren’t there, you have until August 15th to let the government know that you do not want them to control who collects your waste! Here’s how you can make sure your voice is heard:
Send an Email Before August 15th:
env@harfordcountymd.gov
Call Your Government Before August 15th:
410.638.3343
And Say: “I OPPOSE HARFORD COUNTY CONTROLLING WHO COLLECTS MY WASTE”
Earning your business has been the greatest honor imaginable. We want to keep collecting your waste not because the government says we, or anyone else, has to. We want to do it because we’re earning the title of Best Waste Hauler available. Keep your freedom to choose. Reach out to your government today!
CC says
Would it not be government financed through are taxes? Like Baltimore and all other surrounded counties?
F.L. says
Does the county have enough funds now to cover all expenses and add another agency/dept. to the payroll? Thinking not. To add another agency/dept., they will need (@ a minimum); an office (and/or bldg.), personnel for supervision and administrative support, vehicles (and operators), mech’s, site for maint. and storage of said vehicles and advertisement. When the government thinks that they can create and agency/dept. that can make a profit, it is unlikely. They have an unlimited supply of funds; YOU, the taxpayer. And in the end, as stated, YOU, the taxpayer have NO choice. Free enterprise, competition and consumer choice encourages better service and options for the customer. Imagine, if you will, if the Government (on any level) got into the grocery or gas/fuel business/industry.
The Mad Punter says
I live in the Northern part of the county, and we have a parade of trucks picking up trash and recycling all week. I don’t see how having three companies sending trucks is the most efficient. Maybe divide the county up into districts and allow the companies to bid on a district? I think that bidding on the entire county would produce one bidder as the others don’t have the resources to serve the entire county
mychoice says
Competition is good for consumers. Having multiple companies vie for our business allows the company with the best price, service and customer satisfaction to win out over the others. If the county chooses a specific provider it won’t matter how poor the service or how high the cost, that’s who we will pay. It’s up to each private company to determine if it’s cost efficient to provide service to an area. I don’t think the county is a model of determining efficiency.
Dr. Shrinker says
They can’t be any worse than Waste Management.
1. Not showing up on scheduled days.
2. Not taking the can to the truck to fully empty it. Just reaching in and taking the bags from the top and leaving smaller items in the can.
3. Leaving the can on my flowers, leaving the can in the street.
4. Leaving trash in the street that didn’t make it onto the truck when dumping the can.
BillH says
If you don’t like Waste Management, like the letter says….. switch. You might try Waste Industries never had any of the issues you speak of with your company and they even had pick up on the 4th of July. Now that’s customer service.
Dr. Shrinker says
I do not have an individual choice for my trash pickup company. The entire community must use the company the master association chooses.
Fart McBurgen says
Sounds like you have the choice to move, and live somewhere without an HOA. That way, you can hire/pay whichever trash company you find the service the best.
Sounds extreme? Yep, but hey, it beats complaining on the internet doesn’t it? AHHH HYUCK
mostly blue says
Just move if you don’t want or want an HOA? That’s a bit extreme, I think. Any pressure that can be brought to bear to make these haulers do they job reliably is something- they the providers need to be aware as they may no longer get to do as they wish. It is actually hard to fire your hauler as they work under a contract and they can’t be just removed easily. Yes, you can change haulers but they pretty much do the same thing and there isn’t anyone watching them. After all, they do provide a public service that can easily be handled by the county….
Fart McBurgen says
Why even use a hauler at all? Bags of trash in your automobile and drop them off at a dump yourself.
Kharn says
Dr Shrinker,
Then put the issue before your HOA board to demand the master association rebid the job. I’ve never had a problem with Waste Management not showing up on scheduled days, but they’ve come as early as 6am and as late as 4pm. Their directions say to put the cans out the previous night in case they come early.
Dr. Shrinker says
It happened again just this past Thursday. Trash pickup came as scheduled but recycle pickup came Friday morning, a day late.
mostly blue says
HCG is not going to start a new agency or include trash pick up. The county however has the landfill, user fees and recycling infrastructure to manage and require haulers to provide a more uniform services. My HOA has fired and hired different providers, the cost varies and their service is less than dependable. Many issues would have to studied and look at what other others that have a similar structure and see if it is even worth it to be involved.
Kharn says
It is amazing what different pricing you can get as a single house account vs an HOA with 200+ homes. But I bet the waste companies won’t be charging the ridiculously low HOA price if the county takes over the administration. I bet they also stop providing the free cans.
mychoice says
Electricity and phone service has been deregulated allowing people to save money by choosing the least expensive plans and suppliers. But now Harford county wants to take away our ability to get the best price on trash service and allow them to make that choice? I’m sure that I’m better able to watch my money than they are.
No One says
You need to go back and actually look at pricing before/after deregulation. There’s not one instance where average pricing went down after being put into effect.
Fart McBurgen says
Not sure why the Harford County dump is being brought up (Scarborough?)? They’ve stopped Solid Waste for a while. Yeah, you can go there, and take yer’pickem’up truck load of pooie there, but they are hauling all the shit to where? Baltimore County?
Furthermore, the dump is permanently closing like next year? Or is it 2016? Sounds like we need some long term ideas of when the next dump will reach full capacity.
Not everyone lives in an HOA, and plus, no one has to come to your curb to pick up trash. Haul that shit yourself somewhere, complainers.
Kharn says
Or Harford needs to play nice with the Army and work out a deal to keep the incinerator running.
CC says
mychoice must be an owner or employee of Waste Management. Who may have something to loose if this goes through. Hence the “mychoice” login…
mychoice says
No, that’s an incorrect conclusion. I’m not an owner or employee of Waste Management who has anything to loose if this goes through. What I stand to lose is the option of doing business with whichever company I feel provides the best value and service. I want to choose who to do business with and not have a government agency make that decision.
MUFFMOUTHSKI says
This sounds painfully like Obama-Care, we lose our choice and freedom and allow uncle sugar to decide what is best for us.
No thanks – I will pick my own service provider.
Next the county will add an additional fee onto our collection bill to subsidize the poor people who cannot afford someone to pick up their rubbish.
More liberal jibberish
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot says
Government trash pickup would only be a good deal if they can do it without raising our taxes or doing it cheaper then the private sector, fat chance of that. Right now we have 3 different companies trying to get our business, prices a quarter are $105, $75 or $60 for residential service. Doubt that Harford County could do it cheaper and we can switch companies if we our dissatisfied.
CC says
Right now in my area Waste Management is the only provider and they charge whatever they want. If you talk to people around the rates very throughout the county.
watcher says
When i had an issue with waste industries in the past, i called them and their response was, “good luck finding another hauler in your area”. And they had the ballz to email me this week whining about “lack of competition” if this goes through. Karma much WI? LOL
lkeeperjim says
I can not see an advantage of putting the county in between the customer and the hauler.
MIKE says
Waste Industries a regional hauler will lose a lot of residential money if the service goes to the county. I have worked in refuse business for about 30 years and anything that is private is MUCH more expensive, Waste Industries will have to pick up the trash as they are now for much less money !! Baltimore county pays about 85 bucks a unit annually to haulers. Waste Industries charges more then that a quarter. So dont pay one bit of attention to there letter its full of holes. The trash will be much cheaper if the county takes control !!!
Miss Gulch says
I don’t think so. We will be paying the administration costs of a new office with lots more staff, the cost if their benefits including health insurance and a pension, equipment, supplies, etc. These costs will go up every year. What i would really like to know, is, where did this idea originally come from and what (who) is driving it? There is more to this story than the desire by the county to want to save the taxpayers money.
It won’t save anyone any money and would be a foolish thing to support on behalf of our local government.