Massive tipping fee hike would result in higher costs for waste removal

State Rep. Jaime Greene today expressed strong opposition to a massive fee increase the governor wants to impose on anyone who disposes of waste in Michigan.

Greene, R-Richmond, said the governor’s latest budget proposal includes a 13-fold increase to the state’s tipping fee, charged for all waste brought into Michigan landfills. If the governor gets her way, the fee will increase from 36 cents a ton to $5 per ton – a 1,289% increase that will certainly be passed along to consumers.

“Increasing the cost of waste removal is like imposing a tax on the very essence of daily life in our state,” Greene said. “The governor’s fee increase will have a domino effect on our entire economy. Not only will it impact households, but it will also place an unbearable strain on businesses, schools, and local governments. Low-income communities, already struggling to make ends meet, will undoubtedly feel the harshest effects of this regressive policy, further exacerbating existing disparities.”

According to preliminary calculations from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the governor’s proposal would increase costs by as much as $300,000 for the average school district in Michigan.

“The governor’s shortsighted proposal threatens to siphon critical resources away from our students, diverting funds that could be used to hire teachers and invest in classroom resources,” Greene said. “Hundreds of dollars that should be spent on textbooks, technology, or educational programs is now at risk of being swallowed up by this egregious fee hike. Our students deserve better.”

Greene said she will continue to stand up for Michigan families by opposing the tipping fee increase at the state budget process moves forward in the Legislature.

“When I meet with students, I often share the story of ‘I, Pencil,’” Greene said. “Just as that story illustrates the beauty of cooperation and collaboration in creating something as simple yet essential as a pencil, we should also heed its lesson when considering the ramifications of increasing the tipping fee. Every component of our economy is intricately connected, and a significant hike in waste disposal costs will reach far beyond the landfill. Let’s remember the wisdom of this story and recognize that disrupting the delicate balance of economic harmony will have far-reaching consequences for us all.”

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