Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to charge religious institutions and nonprofit organizations a fee for garbage pickup beginning in July 2012 drew stiff opposition at a City Council hearing Thursday.
Council Member Fernando Cabrera, a Bronx Democrat who is also a church pastor, denounced the proposal as an unfair burden. He estimated that the fee, if imposed, could cause 10% of religious institutions citywide to close, though he acknowledged the estimate was a ballpark figure. The details of the plan have yet to be released, preventing a scientific analysis.
Mr. Cabrera said donations to religious institutions citywide have decreased significantly in recent years, and any additional financial burden could lead to the collapse of those that are operating at the margins.
Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty testified Thursday that his department has proposed instituting a fee on all nonresidential entities that currently receive sanitation services free of charge.
The city estimates the fee would generate $17.2 million annually in new revenue. Mr. Doherty described the proposal as “very preliminary” and said the department has a “tremendous amount of work” to do before it returns to the council with a more formal proposal.
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7 Responses
I agree with him (bloombugs) so long as he is the first and only piece of garbage to be picked up and trashed for a hefty sum.
Any history major knows that religious institutions are promoted here because they bring down the overall crime, saving us millions in extra police expense. They also cut down on city paid medical and psychiatric care. They promote family values which saves the city millions in welfare and child care. Bloomberg, if you are going to cut expenses please don’t cause a double expense rebound!
No. 2: Where in US history does it say that governments promote religious institutions because of the social benefits that religions and the religious provide to society as a whole? However right you may be about the positive social contributions of religions and religionists to society, the US constitution prohibits government support for – i.e., “establishment of” – religion. If a municipality charges property owners for sanitation service, it would be a breach of the establishment clause of the US constitution (and probably the equal-protection clause, as well) to exempt religious institutions from such charges.
When those same religious institutions have for profit catering halls on the premises that generate way more garbage than they normally would, why shouldn’t they pay for pick up?
so our taxes are going only to help illegal immigrants then?
These taxes will help to pay for the child care subsidies described in a current YWN story. We should support this or some other tax or fee increase if we are lobbying for more funds for our community.
All religious institutions should close their doors and send all their constituents to public schools. How much will that “save” the city???? Honestly, I don’t believe Bloomberg has a fighting chance in you know where if he plans on going up against G-d!