I just returned from a La Habra Heights City Council meeting. I thought there would be more people attending. Online I have been hearing about the drama of what sounds like the backroom deals of La Habra Heights, so I thought I should go and see who the players are.
I think over half the people in the audience where there to get contracts with the city. I got to hear about how the city is planning on addressing their need to comply with clean water laws and then a somewhat controversial decision on waste management. It’s hard to know what is really going on with granting a monopoly to the local waste management haulers. I have a feeling there may be some repercussions that were not mentioned. In all fairness there are some good reasons to give one hauler the exclusive rights to do business in the city.
But I do know the trash tax seemed to be an unpopular idea. So one of the council members proposed a clever fix. Give the new tax a new name and hide it in the trash hauling fees. It sound like if you don’t call it a tax no one will notice. I think they should call it the Happy Road rebate. Rebate makes it sound like your getting something back.
The other area that may not be popular is making everyone pay for trash hauling, even if residents haul their own trash. I lived in a small town and everyone hauled their own trash. I think that is part of being self sufficient.
One reoccurring theme I heard quite a bit tonight is that the city council wants to have control over the residents. One of the charming elements of La Habra Heights is that it’s a small city with some autonomy. Where people can be just a little freer than in more populated areas. It would be ashamed to lose this freedom and independence. I think the person who was getting the consulting job for dealing with water quality issues mentioned the city of San Marino. I could be wrong about that. I need to bring my computer next time I attend a city counsel meeting. But the point is, I don’t think anyone who lives in La Habra Heights want to live under the same kind of oppressive control that San Marino has to endure. As an example, I don’t think San Marino would look kindly on even having a one roster.
If you are a La Habra Heights resident and you are concerned about your animal owning and trash hauling freedom I suggest you start attending City Council meetings.
