Protect the environment or save the budget? That’s the question city officials are asking themselves in Flagstaff. But the choice is not all theirs to make. The city council is asking for the public’s opinion on the issue.
A plan was presented to the city council in February to raise the environmental service fees included in the water bills of Flagstaff residents.
The purpose of the plan is to use the fee to create a self-sustaining program for the environmental sustainability division of the city. The current fee is $2. In June, city council members will vote on whether or not to raise the service fee to $6.
The current fee presently brings in $90,000 annually. While this may seem like a lot, it is not enough to pay for all the projects the Environmental Sustainability division undertakes. The rest of the required funds are subsidized by the city. Service fee increases would triple the revenue devoted to supporting the program.
Environmental Sustainability Manager, Rebecca Sayers, said “It’s important for the public to know about these programs and to get involved in the city council vote. We want people to be educated on the subject so they know whats going on and so there is some accountability in the city.” She said that if the council doesn’t vote to increase the fee, many of programs like litter clean up, hazardous waste removal, public education and environmental code enforcement might be discontinued.
Some residents of Flagstaff think the increase is worth it. “I’m fine with paying four extra dollars if it means we are taking better care of the environment,” said Evon Peter of Flagstaff. If the fee increase is approved, the new charges will be applied in early fall.
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