The San Juan County Council voted unanimously on July 25th to approve a 2018 ballot measure allowing the Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District (LSWDD) to raise $105,000 through its annual property tax levy in 2018. The measure will appear on the 2017 election ballot for the November 7th election. Since the inception of the Lopez Solid Waste District, Lopez has passed the annual levy ballot measures in amounts between $80,000-115,000 with an average of 80% approval rating among Lopez Islanders.
The amount requested by LSWDD will cover roughly 25% of operational costs for the Lopez Dump, which continues to offer affordable refuse disposal at $8 per 32-gallon can; free recycling for sorted recyclables; and the increasingly popular Take It or Leave It (TIOLI). This summer, the Dump is open 33% more frequently: 4 days per week from 11am to 4pm.
“LSWDD aims to keep costs stable despite volatile markets for garbage and recycling. The Dump this past year has expanded its hours, hired a District Manager, put in safety improvements at the site, and prevented the garbage can rates from increasing,” said board chair Clark Johnson. The $105,000 levy amount is an average of the annual levies since the District’s inception in 2013. District manager Paul Andersson said, “We run a tight ship, on a small site, with outstanding volunteers and staff. At the end of the day, we want to deserve the community’s support.”
Comentarios