Politics & Government

Town Delays Commercial Garbage Fee For Some Dwellings

The Harrison Town Board has agreed to delay commercial garbage payment until next year for three-family residencies.

HARRISON - After a rash of complaints from residents and business owners, the Harrison Town Board has agreed to delay the commercial garbage fee for three-family buildings throughout Harrison.

Buildings that are occupied by more than two tenants had previously been considered commercial when the town board passed a new fee requiring all commercial buildings to pay an annual $1,200 fee for two garbage containers and another $600 per extra container.

After one year, the owners of the buildings will be required to pay the regular fee. This will give owners of the three-family buildings the opportunity to plan for the payments, according to Harrison Mayor/Supervisor Joan Walsh.

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Walsh wouldn't specify if the town board will consider waiving the fee altogether for these buildings, but said that as of right now she fully expects the change to go into effect next year.

"It's a one year grace period, after that they'll join in," she said.

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The town board approved the new fee in late March, at the time acting Commissioner of Public Works Anthony Robinson estimated that the new fee would generate between $200,000 and $225,000 for the town. The year-long grace period will reduce that revenue by about $34,000.

The owners of each building will still be required to pay the $100 permit fee that is now required for all commercial buildings. There are 67 three-family buildings in Harrison.

"It's a recognition of the economic times," said Walsh. "Many of them haven't been able to rent their apartments, this gives them a year to adjust."

There will, however, be no delay for businesses. When the fee was originally passed some small business owners loudly complained that it is unfair to face a fee for creating small amounts of garbage. 

Sam Fanelli, who said that he represents several small business owners in West Harrison, told the town board last week that he doesn't understand the fee. Fanelli has said at past meetings that he doesn't think the town board considered West Harrison businesses when it passed the fee.

"I don't have a problem with paying you the registration fee, or even $200," Fanelli said. "But if I only have 52 cans a year, why should I pay the same as someone that has 1,000?"

The Harrison Chamber of Commerce has also loudly opposed the new fee. The executive board of the chamber even cited the new commercial garbage fee as a reason for their resignation at the end of April.

But those complaints do not appear to be enough to prevent the new expense from becoming a reality, Walsh said that she is no longer considering abolishing the fee based on amount of garbage created.


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