Resident wants lower taxes or a rebate
Mayor John E. McCormac's essay titled "Automated Trash Collection Program Save Money & Improves Efficiency" in the October 2009 edition of The Woodbridge News was well written. In the section titled "Easy," he described how each household will receive "two standardized 95-gallon collection containers." I am sure that I will find these containers much easier to deal with than the smaller, more normal-size containers that I am currently using. However, what I found even more interesting was the section on the efficiency of the new trash collection program.

According to Mayor McCormac, "Each truck is operated by a single driver/operator. As a result, we have been able to reduce truck crews on automated trash truck crews from three employees to one single driver/operator." In fact, he goes on to say, "we are realizing a savings of $90,000 per man … [and] we are realizing a significant reduction in workers' compensation and disability claims that have traditionally cost the township approximately $750,000 per year."

I believe it would be appropriate for Mayor McCormac to hold a town meeting to discuss how the savings that this project has achieved should be distributed. I, for one, would prefer a lowered tax rate instead of the one-time tax rebate that some residents have been proposing.

Dr. Robert Vermilyer

Colonia