Put litter tax on ballot or study creating litter fee for businesses

Police & Community SafetyEnvironmentResolution

In Plain English

The city wants to charge businesses a litter tax or fee based on their annual sales. Council must choose between asking voters to approve a tax or hiring a consultant to study creating a fee instead. Businesses that generate more litter would pay more to help fund cleanup efforts.

Auto-generated summary. Source: official agenda documents.

Votes

direct staff to prepare a Litter Fee ordinance and conduct a cost of service study

Passed

6 to 1

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Why This Vote Matters

The city will move forward with creating a litter fee for businesses rather than asking voters to approve a tax. The council voted 6-1 to direct staff to draft an ordinance that would charge businesses based on their annual sales, with companies that generate more litter paying higher amounts to fund cleanup efforts. This approach requires a cost study to determine appropriate fee levels but avoids the need for voter approval that a tax would require. Only Councilmember Bates opposed the motion, while the rest of the council supported this path to address litter cleanup funding.

Auto-generated context. Source: official meeting records.

Community Discussion

This discussion was submitted to the City Clerk as part of the public record.

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