NSWMA Asks: Will Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings Break His Promise Not to Raise Costs for Businesses?

DALLAS, Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) is asking Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to hold firm to his pledge not to raise the cost of doing business in Dallas. Rawlings has repeatedly said he wants to support local businesses and not raise their costs during these difficult economic times.

"We were extremely disappointed to learn that Mayor Rawlings is supporting flow control a law that would require all commercial waste in Dallas be transported many extra miles to the city's single McCommas Bluff landfill in Southern Dallas," said Tom Brown, Texas Chapter President of the National Solid Wastes Management Association.  "The NAACP, Paul Quinn College and the community have joined us in opposing this plan to create a city monopoly." 

"There are far better alternatives to flow control that will generate more revenue for the city by saving money through more efficient operations, generate more money for Southern Dallas and not cause prices to increase for struggling businesses," said Brown.  "Those ideas need to be on the table now so they can be compared with flow control so the city can reach the best decision."  

 "We have provided the Mayor with extremely detailed financial information including spread sheets, invoices, tonnage calculations, landfill prices and route information that clearly demonstrate that flow control will raise cost to businesses by 20 percent or more than $19 million a year," said Brown.   

"Common sense tells you that trucking garbage farther to one of the area's most expensive landfills or paying an exorbitant tipping fee at a transfer station will increase costs," said Brown.  "The city has not presented a scintilla of evidence to support the ridiculous contention that costs will not rise due to flow control or that our industry would not have to pass those costs on to customers."

"The city staff's own 'Fact Book' estimates costs will go up by 10 percent for North Dallas business," said Brown. "The Mayor didn't say it would be fine to raise costs for some businesses or that it was fine to raise costs but hope they would come down later," said Brown. "He said clearly he was opposed to raising costs for businesses."

"We also hope that the Mayor will keep his campaign pledge to partner with businesses and let us work together for a better solution than flow control," said Brown. 

In his announcement to run for office Mayor Rawlings said: "I've learned that good leaders are honest ... honest in the way they deal with others, and honest in the way they assess challenges."

"We are asking Mayor Rawlings to be honest with our industry and our 17,000 customers and keep his pledge not to raise the cost of doing business in Dallas," said Brown.

"The Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas, the President of Paul Quinn College and many others have asked the Mayor to allow further study concerning this issue," said Brown. "We hope the Mayor will respect their opinion and support further study on this issue."

SOURCE National Solid Wastes Management Association