Santorum on Nelson Mandela and.... Obamacare!

[Andrew D]

Many US jurisdictions require all residents to pay for garbage collection, even if those residents do not generate any garbage to be collected.

[Joe Guy]

When I first left home and moved into an apartment the rent did not include garbage costs. I received bills that listed separately the amount owed for regular garbage and garden trimmings.

I only paid for the regular garbage since there was no garden and no trimmings. The bill kept growing every month from the unpaid portion. For months they never fined me or demanded payment.

Finally I called the garbage company and asked them why they charge people to haul away garden trimmings if they don't have garden trimmings. I was told that every residence has to pay whether they use it or not.

I called my father and asked him if they could do that and he said, "Yup!". He went on, "Son, not everything that happens in life is going to make sense to you."

I lived there for six years and never paid that part of the bill. I figured that if they ever contacted me about the bill I'd tell them what my father had told me.

[Andrew D]

Charging everyone for garbage removal makes more sense than does charging everyone for garden-trimming removal: If people can get out of paying for garbage removal simply by not presenting any garbage for removal, some people will let their garbage accumulate until it becomes a health hazard to others.

[oldr_n_wsr]

When I first bought my house back in 1985 garbage pickup was not mandatory. One could either contract with the carting company for the area you were in or not. Also you could pick your pick-up plan for the amount of garbage you might have. We went with the single day, two pail pickup plan. Our neighbors brought their garbage to the Brookhaven landfill which was free to residents. If I only had one pail to put out on my day, I would let my neighbor fill up my second pail for that pickup. Likewise, if I had more than a pail one week, he would haul it to the landfill for me.

[Big RR]

Since you preface it by "When I first bought my house...", I presume it is mandatory now. Do you know if they had problems of people keeping garbage in their years, leading to making collection mandatory?

[Gob]

All refuse collection, (in terms of normal domestic waste,) is collected and disposed by local authorities, the service is paid for of out of local taxation, both here and in the UK.

I know, we’re bloody commies....

[oldr_n_wsr]

Since you preface it by "When I first bought my house...", I presume it is mandatory now. Do you know if they had problems of people keeping garbage in their years, leading to making collection mandatory?

Not in my neighborhood.
Now it's included in my property taxes.