That’s the question a citizen asked county commissioners during last night’s public hearing on a plan for a public-private regional landfill.
The saying goes if something’s too good to be true, it probably is. So the question is whether or not this proposal is indeed too good to be true:
Advanced Disposal’s proposal promises financial security for the county.
The company would pay Rockingham County an annual host fee with a minimum guarantee.
The company would also make three lump-sum payments: a multimillion-dollar acquisition payment, a payment if the county reaches a goal of handling 1,00 tons per day and a future expansion payment.
Osborne said the profits could go toward reviving the public school system and the economy to put people back to work.
“We have to do something bold,” he said. We’re going downhill and we’re going fast. And all the wishful thinking in the world can’t change those facts.”
Never what it says about a county that would place its economic future on a dump. Handling garbage is a core responsibility of government, and Greensboro is neglecting that responsibility, no matter how many trash tasks forces they put in place.
By the same token, the evil John Locke Foundation believes that competition when searching for waste management options is a good thing. JLF also notes the trend toward regional landfills as government regulations have made landfills more expensive to operate. So the purpose here is not to knock the idea of a regional landfill. The only problem is landfills bring out the ‘NIMBY factor’ practically everywhere. Greensboro residents on the east side of the city don’t want garbage in their backyard; so why does Greensboro expect Rockingham County residents would want G’boro’s garbage in their backyard?
The problem is Greensboro’s backed itself into a corner with its politicized decision to close its White Street landfill. Now the city faces the prospect of paying even than it already does to ship its garbage elsewhere.
