THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HUDSON
P.O. Box 331
Hudson, OH 44236
January 16, 2 008
Hudson City Council
27 E. Main St.
Hudson, OH 44236
Dear Members of Council:
The League of Women Voters has maintained longstanding support for the philosophy that solid waste, from generation to disposal, must be purposefully and systematically controlled by all levels of government in order to provide efficient service, protect the environment, and achieve successful resource recovery. Our support for measures that forestall the depletion of our natural resources and recover nonrenewable resources leads the Board of the League of Women Voters of Hudson to recommend passage of Ordinance No. 07-145.
The Ordinance would change Hudson's code and require all trash haulers to provide recycling as an integral part of their service under a single fee to the consumer. Its passage will align our city's recycling collection with recommendations of the Akron Solid Waste Management Authority's plan for Summit County.
Our review of the companies currently servicing Hudson shows that some already provide this integrated service. We believe that prominently displayed price comparisons and the resulting competition among providers will encourage more citizens to recycle a greater variety of materials and improve local environmental protection.
We also believe that the cost of ensuring trash haulers' compliance with the new mandates will not result in significant additional expense to the city. Some haulers are already in compliance and market forces will encourage others to follow suit. Publicizing rate comparisons and the actions of the newly-created Recycling Compliance Committee should give Hudson residents the information they need to keep the system fair and self-regulating.
Hopefully, the proposed code revisions will also bring Hudson into compliance with Ohio EPA standards and increase our city's opportunities for additional grant revenue. The over-all result improves Hudson's ability to recover resources and protect our environment. Accordingly, the Board of the League of Women Voters of Hudson asks all members of Council to approve Ordinance No. 07-145 at its final reading.
Sincerely,
The Board of the League of Women Voters of Hudson