Letters to the editor for Jan. 23
Mason garbage company charges former owner
What a cash cow!
After moving to Tennessee and selling our Shelton home, I dutifully notified Mason County Garbage Inc. of the home sale, thinking because that service was no longer applicable to us, and after the minimum charge was paid, even though there had been no pickup for three months, that would be the end of that.
Well, it wasn’t. I was informed after calling about a new January bill I received from the MCG office in Pasadena, Calif., that former owners are charged until Mason Garbage finds out who the new owner is. Wow, think of the revenue stream and the 100s of unsuspecting trustee/family members who are handling properties of recently deceased parents or parents who had to sell because they are in a care facility and are on automatic pay since the parents used MCG services.
Which brings up the question: Which government agency audits private companies like MCG? Is there any auditing for things like this deceptive practice which has to be illegal on many levels.
Support our schools
The Roundtable of Thurston County supports and endorses all Thurston County public school replacement levies and capital facilities levies/bond measures on the Feb. 11, 2020 ballot.
This February, voters in every school district across Thurston County will be asked to approve Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy proposals. Several districts, including Tumwater and North Thurston, also have Capital Facilities Bond or levies on the ballot to meet their long-term facilities plans.
The proposed levies are not a new or additional tax. Instead, the measures replace expiring four-year educational programs levy approved by voters in 2016. The local levies provide local resources for classroom and educational needs of students not funded by the state.
The Roundtable of Thurston County is a non-profit organization that exists to have positive impact on the educational, cultural, and economic vitality of the region. The group, sometimes referred to as the “business roundtable,” is comprised of leaders from across the region. The Roundtable believes that strong schools are the cornerstones for achieving community vibrancy and resiliency.
Renewing the levies in 2020 will help the region improve graduation rates, aid in workforce development, and continue to support programs and operations essential to achieving the goals for all our children, families, and communities.
On behalf of the 35 private-sector members of the Roundtable, I encourage voters to mark yes on the levy proposals contained on the Feb. 11, 2020 special election ballot.