Choosing trash hauler a right of residents

Dear Mr. Meyers:

Five years ago you and the HRCA attempted to legislate trash pickup in the Highlands Ranch area to a single firm. You and the PIC received a resounding “no” from the community. You are now in the process of resurrecting this using a reformatted version with a “voluntary” sign-on. However, this may not be as “voluntary” as you would lead us to believe.

The article stated that the proposal would result in “allowing only one day per week for trash pickup in a neighborhood.” This supposedly would result in less wear and tear on the roads and more accountability for the service. It also totes a better recycling program.

However, if the day for your neighborhood is different than current you must still find another firm. Most of us choose our firms because they provide the service that meet our needs, including which day they pick up the trash. I also feel that we can individually hold the firms accountable for their services. A “big brother” should not be allowed to do this for us.

I also have doubts about the level of service remaining the same. I pay my current firm slightly more than firms I have priced. This firm takes my containers to my garage door instead of them being left on the curb. On windy days I see others in the streets but not ours. I also have recycling included in the base fee.

The capitalistic system that permits choice is one of the foundations that built our nation. For HRCA to pick the trash hauler curtails a choice we should have. HRCA already has a large amount of power to control our landscaping and many other community issues. We should not provide them with more.

Mr. Meyers’ resurrection of a moratorium to restrict trash pickup is nothing more than an attempt to do this even with his “voluntary” caveat added this time. We should not succumb to the veiled proposals of it being “voluntary” and cheaper. Free enterprise should include our right to choose our trash hauler.

Marie E. Fornof

Highlands Ranch