News & Public Affairs

Hillsborough County is one step closer to new trash pick-up service listen

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Tags: Hillsborough County Commission, trash, solid waste, waste management, recycling

Hillsborough County is one step closer to revamping its longstanding trash hauling monopoly. At a workshop yesterday, County Commissioners voted to move forward with a competitive bidding process that will force the existing companies to compete with others from other states for county contracts. After more than 8-months of conversation, Commissioner Mark Sharpe said the next step needed to be taken immediately.

“Any delay would potentially put at risk all of this work. Any delay for a...

Tampa City Council passes garbage rate hike listen

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Tags: Tampa City Council, Mary Mulhern, Frank Reddick, Solid Waste, trash, rate increase

The cost of garbage collection in Tampa is going up for residents and businesses. During the Tampa City Council meeting this morning, eleven people came to tell officials that would create a hardship for many rate payers.

Tampa residents will see a 12% inflation of their garbage bill on April 1. And it’s no joke. Rick Pheifer said he doesn’t usually go to City Council meetings, but he made an exception to tell council members that he can’t af...

Hillsborough County Commission trash talk is just talk for now listen

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Tags: Mark Sharpe, Al Higginbotham, Ken Hagen, Les Miller, Hillsborough County Commission, recycling, trash

Wednesday Hillsborough County Commissioners set out to decide how to breathe some new life into the county’s business of taking out the trash. But the board couldn’t agree on how to proceed.

They went back and forth for three hours. Mitch Kessler, the county’s solid-waste consultant, recommended the board open the 3-company near-monopoly to competitive bidding. But co...