Miller citizens sue to stop Gary garbage privatization

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BY BILL DOLAN
bdolan@nwitimes.com
219.662.5328 | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 | (8 comment(s))

GARY | Residents of Gary's Miller section have filed a lawsuit questioning the legality of the city's move to privatize its garbage collection and add a new fee to the service.

Lawyers for the Miller Citizens Corporation and 28 Miller residents are seeking an injunction to stop Mayor Rudy Clay from handing over garbage collection in the city to Allied Waste Services of Northwest Indiana.

John P. Reed, an attorney for the Miller group, said the city failed to put what amounts to a $5.5 million contract up for competitive bidding, as required by state law.

The suit also opposes the imposition of garbage collection fees ranging from $7 to $52 per month per residence.

City residents previously paid no separate garbage fee.

The cost of garbage collection, which Mayor Rudy Clay estimated to be about $41 per household, was financed through the city's property tax levy. Clay said he hopes Allied can cut the cost of garbage collection to taxpayers in half, but said the fee is needed to offset property tax cuts mandated by the state Legislature.

No date has been set for a hearing on the suit, which is filed in Porter Superior Court Judge Thomas Webber's courtroom.

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WWJVBD wrote on Oct 21, 2008 9:35 PM:

" Allied Wastes gets a $5.5 million no bid contract with the city of Gary. Bob Pastrick is still able to see his old friends working together. It's nice to see his appointed county chair Rudy getting along so well with Allied Waste's municipal manager ex-mayor of Crown Point Jim Metros. What a sham! "

Slick wrote on Oct 21, 2008 6:15 PM:

" First they want to shut down the South Shore station, then they decide that Wirt High School should be closed. This should be the last straw for the residents of Miller. Disannexation for Miller! Disannexation Now! "

Why wrote on Oct 21, 2008 6:08 PM:

" Why would this be illegal? If the town finds ways of getting your garbage collected, then that's all you should care about. Miller is supposed to be considered a nice party of Gary, no matter how hard that is to believe, so you should have no problem paying extra each month to pick up your waste. I'm sure the $52 fee will be assessed to appt. complex owners and business owners, not homes. Unless you have some million dollar home out there, then I wouldn't whine about it too much. If you can afford an expensive home, you can afford your garbage to be picked up at $52 a month. Yours stinks as much as the rest of us, people! "

Spreading The Wealth wrote on Oct 21, 2008 5:24 PM:

" Nothing IS free. The City needs the money. This is what Spreading the Wealth is like. Do you understand it now? This is the Democratic theory you are voting for when you vote for "change." Good luck to you. "

just wondering wrote on Oct 21, 2008 3:24 PM:

" why should the fee range from $7 to $52? 7 is far too low. 53 is far to high. Is it really less expensive to pick up poor people's garbage? Are empty caviar jars that heavy? "

Thank you wrote on Oct 21, 2008 2:26 PM:

" I want to thank the MCC for speaking out. If only the other communities would organize. Make sure you find out what the increase is paying for. Also, let Mayor Clay know that Hammond's increase covered the garbage pick-up and East Chicago does not pay. Since he is always comparing Gary to these two cities. "

JB wrote on Oct 21, 2008 2:00 PM:

" Start making all the people in Gary pay their property tax and they wont have a money problem. Wish I didnt have to pay mine but I want to keep my house. "

beevee wrote on Oct 21, 2008 12:49 PM:

" rudy keeps crying about property tax cuts...They haven't taken affect yet...all his budget problems are not a result of any new property tax legislation but rather poor fiscal management and corruption in Gary. "

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