On Thursday, the League testified before the Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee and raised municipal budget implication concerns regarding the amended version of A-4118, which establishes statewide targets to reduce disposal of organic waste in landfills and requires DEP to adopt regulations to achieve targets.
Since providing refuse collection and disposal is under the levy and appropriation caps, it not only has the potential to squeeze out other municipal priorities including public safety, recreation, and investment but also may force municipalities that provide this service to cease because it is too costly, therefore passing the cost directly to residents to contract for pickup.
We noted that waste management costs have increased dramatically over the past few years and that the Department of Community Affairs has allowed a one-time exception from the appropriations cap for refuse collection and disposal.
During the committee testimony, we suggested that if the legislature believes this is a program worthy of implementation, the state should fully fund it and be responsible for its execution. Absent that, we suggested that garbage, recycling, and this food waste program, including the reporting and enforcement costs, be removed from the 2% levy and appropriations caps.
The legislation was favorably reported and has been second referenced to the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee. The Senate companion, S-203 has not been considered yet by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
If your municipality provides trash removal as a service, we strongly encourage you to share information on the cost increases for trash collection and disposal over the past few years with your legislators.
Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.