CITY BITES THE BULLET ON INCREASING TRASH FEES

Residential trash fees are going up an additional $1.59 per month in the city of Cape Girardeau, from $10.54 to $12.13.

No one wants higher trash fees, and the issue has prompted an emotional roller coaster in this city for a number of years.

But the Cape Girardeau City Council bit the bullet this week to approve the increase 5-1. An examination of the data reveals that the council had little choice.

The solid waste task force unanimously recommended the increase as a way to defray higher costs in both collections and the continuing process to close the city's landfill. Much of the bill can be tied to changing regulations at both the state and federal levels.

Cape Girardeau is not alone in grappling with these higher costs. But this city has attempted to make the trash, water, and sewer services pay their own way through user fees.

At present, the trash system is self supporting. Without the increased fees, however, the city would be forced to deficit spend next year in its need to absorb an additional $140,000 in regulatory mandates. This includes a $75,000 payment on the bonds to help close the landfill, and an additional $50,000 for landfill maintenance. The Dexter landfill -- where Cape Girardeau trash is hauled -- has also raised its fees. In short, if people want to protest the increased fees, and we expect some will, we suggest they look to the true culprits: costly state and federal mandates, not the city.

Volume-based trash billing still remains an important consideration, and we encourage the city to investigate it further. In their decision to raise fees, the city council and solid waste task force indicated they were sensitive to the call for volume-based billing.

Basically, volume-based billing would offer citizens a lower base fee for one or two bags of trash -- with a pre-paid sticker required for each additional bag. People with two or three bags would probably pay more, while those with one bag would pay less. The questions that need to be addressed: How many people would benefit. How many would pay more? And what is the fairest cost distribution?

The city plans to study trash patterns before implementing such a system. One concern some city staffers have is that a number of people will opt for the lowest fee -- and try to get rid of the remainder of their trash by dumping it illegally. This might actually lead to decreased revenues, as well as new problems. Nevertheless, the solid waste task force has recommended a phased-in volume based system during the 1995-96 year.

We commend our mayor, Al Spradling III, for his leadership in this matter. It would be easy to straddle the fence and play off both sides. But a good leader makes tough decisions for the good of the entire city and its fiscal security. And this, over the past few years, has certainly proved no easy matter.