Re: Biodegradable bags could lead to big savings, news, Feb. 18

“Making biodegradable bags mandatory for yard waste could save the city nearly $16,000 a year.”

According to other news outlets, “...staff estimates the price of regular bags at around 5 cents each, compared to 50 cents per paper bag and 70 cents per decomposable plastic bag...”

Now let’s do the math. If every citizen in Stratford must use a decomposable bag, and every citizen only rids themselves of one bag of green waste, then, at 30,000 citizens, $15,000 is being spent by residents, as opposed to $1,500.

I believe it would be in this city’s best interest to firstly put the people first, and help the citizens save some money, as well, spend the $15,950 again next year on labour due to the labour shortage that exists, and will exist for a long time, despite what officials tell us.

The more our governmental businesses save here and there, the less work that is available for some of the hard-working, family responsible people who NEED the work more then the city needs to save a small amount of money. Also, if you force an increase on costs to get rid of green waste, less citizens are going to take advantage of it, and instead are going to leave them to rot on their lawns, or else send them away with regular garbage.

This city already takes a ridiculous amount of money from taxpayers through property tax increases, water and sewage increases, parking ticket increases, etc. I say, if the city needs more money for the landfill, then start sending out the bylaw enforcement officer in prime tourist season and nail everyone with a plate from the USA (instead of casually walking past them as I have seen so many officers do in the past).

Tyler Carruthers
Stratford