Residents Could Pay For Trash Pickup

PHILADELPHIA - Residents of Philadelphia could join the ranks of many of their suburban neighbors and begin paying for trash pickup.

A proposal under consideration would charge each household $5 a week to pay for trash
pickups. It's estimated the move could save the city $100 Million a year.

Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler presented the proposal to Mayor Michael Nutter on Tuesday, saying it would cover 100 percent of the cost of collecting trash in Philadelphia.

Cutler says saving $100 million a year would help the cash strapped city save jobs and prevent cuts in other services.

If the trash proposal is not accepted, Cutler says, the city may be forced to cut trash collections to just two or three per month.

Mayor Nutter has asked every city department to report on how 10-, 20- or 30-percent budget cuts would affect city services. Nutter unveils his budget on March 19.