Do you recycle? Well, if you live in Cape Coral, get ready to pay more.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. It’s something many in Cape Coral are passionate about.
“I think it’s very important to go ahead and keep our planet going the safe way for our next generation that’s coming,” said Derick Moreno.
“I hope recycling continues for the improvement of our environment,” said Maria Matthews, and it will — just with a little extra money from taxpayers.
“If it’s going to be for a good cause, it’s worth it,” Moreno said.
Council members approved an agreement with the county Monday to levy a tax on curbside recycling. It increases the pay to Waste Pro by 7%. This means your rates could go up for 2021.
“If it’s going to make a difference in continuing to recycle I think it’s worth paying the increase,” Matthews said.
Here’s what that increase could look like for you. For example, if your home’s taxable value is $154,000, you would see an increase of $7.50 on your annual bill.
“Personally, I recycle a lot and if I stopped recycling and threw it away in the trash, my trash would increase a lot. By 50%, I think,” Matthews said.
So for some, a minimal fee is well worth it.
The tax comes from the county, but council members will officially vote on the contract with the county on Aug. 31.