Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 23, 1991 TAG: 9102230076
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Medium
Two bills have passed the General Assembly by wide margins that spell out the right of counties to charge for the disposal of solid waste. A third specifically empowers Floyd County.
Floyd County has hesitated over the last year to impose a landfill user fee because current law was unclear. The state code says towns must have a utility tax before counties can charge town residents or businesses in a town for solid waste disposal.
The Town of Floyd has no utility tax, and does not intend to impose one. Town residents pay a county utility tax.
"We were confident," County Administrator Randy Arno said of the chances of having the legislation clarify the problem.
Two of the bills are a result of meetings between county supervisors and Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, and Del. Willard Finney, D-Rocky Mount.
One, sponsored by Finney, Marye, and five other delegates from southwest and southside Virginia, clears the confusion over whether counties can charge towns and industries within towns for waste disposal by adding a sentence specifically giving counties that right.
Another, sponsored by Marye, would specifically permit Floyd County to levy a fee for solid waste disposal on all landfill users.
"I've heard these weren't needed," Marye said. "But Floyd wasn't sure [it had the authority]. And they wanted to be sure."
Finally, the bill that may be most beneficial to Floyd, sponsored by Sen. Joesph V. Gartlan Jr., D-Fairfax County, would allow all localities to charge for recycling and waste disposal services.
"It puts counties, cities and towns all on the same level as far as the ability to manage waste disposal," said Susan Dull, an aide for Gartlan.
Current law allows municipalities to charge for the disposal of garbage, but does not mention counties.
by CNB