Editorial: Letter writer comes up with appealing idea

Don Wisner, who has written thoughtful letters to the editor in the past, has come up with an idea that should appeal to Van Buren Township taxpayers.
Wisner, of Van Buren Township, got to thinking about residents having to pay for trash removal after 30 years of having free pickup because the township was nice enough to serve as a host community to Waste Management’s landfill.
See Wisner’s letter on page 5 where he spells out his thinking. Makes sense to us. What do you think?
Residents were told that WM no longer wished to spend the money on rising fuel costs, employees, and trucks to pick up the trash, so the residents must pay for pickup. The township negotiated a contract with costs for one year to be put on the property taxes for payment. Costs are sure to increase in future years.
But, with the millions of dollars being given to the township by WM for tipping fees, why couldn’t that WM money be used to pay the company for residential pickups, he asks.
We are sure township officials have plans for the WM tipping fees that are tucked away in the fund balance.
Wisner has prepared a list of township board members and how to contact them and put that at the end of his letter. It’s very healthy for our government for residents to think things out on their own and act. Let the board know what you think.