State leaders provide clarity on trash pickup bills for Greenville
State leaders are providing clarity for two bills in the State House that would roll back certain abilities of the Greater Greenville Sanitation. Representative Chandra Dillard, D-Greenville, says she’s been hearing confusion and fear stemming from two pieces of legislation; House bills 4003 and 4002, centered around greater Greenville sanitation.”I do think that what is happening nationally with those and departments closing and downsizing, folks are feeling like it has come to Greenville, but I am here to tell them, at least, that’s not the agenda that I was told,” she says.Bill sponsor and Rep. Mike Burns, R-Greenville, says they were created after failed negotiation talks with Greater Greenville Sanitation. “They have a charter district in their special purpose district, and they’ve gone outside of that, and they’ve gone on the back of the profits of the people within the special purpose district and given much, much lower rates to people outside of the district,” Burns said.4003 proposes a compromise between the state and Greater Greenville Sanitation, barring crews from providing service outside of their district.The other bill would let the state dismantle the special service district — and the whole of Greater Greenville Sanitation. “There’s a tax, a millage tax, and a sanitation fee. And these businesses are getting killed with this double fee. And, because, you know, they pay more than twice as much as the residential guy would pay,” says Burns.Rep Dillard says her constituents are worried that if the services were dissolved, people would be left without a garbage solution. “The bill that was offered to dismantle the organization came as a complete surprise,” she says. Greater Greenville Sanitation said in a statement Wednesday, in part, “Some of your state representatives are working on behalf of special interests, not their constituents, to shut down Greater Greenville Sanitation and put 114 employees out of work!” It goes on to say, “Private companies don’t offer yard waste collection or bulk waste collection, or back door service to residents with disabilities, and you will pay more for services they do offer.”Burns insists the plan is not to dismantle Greater Greenville Sanitation, but to find a solution that works for all parties. “We don’t want them to go out of business. We don’t want people to lose their garbage pickup and all of that. We don’t want employees to lose their jobs,” he said.
State leaders are providing clarity for two bills in the State House that would roll back certain abilities of the Greater Greenville Sanitation.
Representative Chandra Dillard, D-Greenville, says she’s been hearing confusion and fear stemming from two pieces of legislation; House bills 4003 and 4002, centered around greater Greenville sanitation.
“I do think that what is happening nationally with those and departments closing and downsizing, folks are feeling like it has come to Greenville, but I am here to tell them, at least, that’s not the agenda that I was told,” she says.
Bill sponsor and Rep. Mike Burns, R-Greenville, says they were created after failed negotiation talks with Greater Greenville Sanitation.
“They have a charter district in their special purpose district, and they’ve gone outside of that, and they’ve gone on the back of the profits of the people within the special purpose district and given much, much lower rates to people outside of the district,” Burns said.
4003 proposes a compromise between the state and Greater Greenville Sanitation, barring crews from providing service outside of their district.
The other bill would let the state dismantle the special service district — and the whole of Greater Greenville Sanitation.
“There’s a tax, a millage tax, and a sanitation fee. And these businesses are getting killed with this double fee. And, because, you know, they pay more than twice as much as the residential guy would pay,” says Burns.
Rep Dillard says her constituents are worried that if the services were dissolved, people would be left without a garbage solution.
“The bill that was offered to dismantle the organization came as a complete surprise,” she says.
Greater Greenville Sanitation said in a statement Wednesday, in part, “Some of your state representatives are working on behalf of special interests, not their constituents, to shut down Greater Greenville Sanitation and put 114 employees out of work!” It goes on to say, “Private companies don’t offer yard waste collection or bulk waste collection, or back door service to residents with disabilities, and you will pay more for services they do offer.”
Burns insists the plan is not to dismantle Greater Greenville Sanitation, but to find a solution that works for all parties.
“We don’t want them to go out of business. We don’t want people to lose their garbage pickup and all of that. We don’t want employees to lose their jobs,” he said.