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How can Pay -As -You -Throw (PAYT) Help Newport?
Imagine if we all shared the cost of electricity and your neighbor constantly left the fridge open, all the lights on, and the water running. No matter how much electricity you conserve, you’re paying for your neighbor’s bad habits. Our trash is like that.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), what residents and businesses throw away, is one of the top three costs incurred by a municipality. Many people think trash is free. It isn’t. MSW is incredibly expensive and is paid for through property taxes, meaning no matter how much you reduce, reuse, and recycle, you subsidize those who don’t.
The majority of the MSW budget pays “Tipping Fees,” which are fees charged to Newport per ton of trash we need hauled away. In August of this year, Newport’s Select Board voted to pursue a five year contract with Waste Management which will see a 2.5% increase in tipping fees over the previous contract. PAYT offers a way to control these costs and save taxpayers money. Newport’s Town Manager understands this, estimating adoption of PAYT by Newport would see MSW tonnage (Newport’s average over the last three years was 1820 tons. 2017 estimates show a likely increase to 2000 tons!) drop by 40%-60%, saving tens of thousands of tax dollars. Nearly 140 Maine towns, rural and urban, large and small, have enacted some form of PAYT to save money. Here is an excellent article by the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) which focuses, in part, on helping towns save money.
You can learn more about helping Newport reduce taxpayer costs for trash with PAYT by visiting: https://www.nrcm.org/projects/sustainability/sustainable-maine-community-toolkits/pay-as-you-throw-toolkit/
Good Neighbor Ordinances
Newport has a Waterfowl Control Ordinance and Dog Ordinance See details: Waterfowl Control and Animal & Fowl Ordinances
Waterfowl Control prohibits anyone, except those authorized, from feeding or baiting any migratory or non-migratory waterfowl or fowl in or over water within the shoreland protection area. The penalty is not less than $25.00. See details in document above.
This means don’t feed the ducks!
The Animal and Fowl ordinance basically says you must control your animals and their excrement. Fines start at $50.00.
This means keep your animals on a leash when off your property and pick up their poop!