Kevin's idea of eliminating the trash tax is good. If it ever served the purpose of changing behaviors its work should be done by now. As progressive as Charlottesiville is, if folks haven't modified their behavior by now, they never will. Most of us will continue our current practices. The mechanism was defective in that it promoted change not through an incentive system, but by imposing an onerous tax that can only partially be avoided through recycling. It has annoyed people immeasurably with midnight and early morning runs to the store so they can get their trash taken away. It exemplifies the worst of what Republicans would characterize as heavy-handed government at work.

If Kevin's observations that the internal costs outweigh the revenues generated are true, then his reluctance to reducing any tax should not apply here. Repealing the ordinance would cost at most a few tens of thousands of dollars, but would save the citizens of Charlottesville a lot of money, time and frustration.

It will be as popular in this City among everyone, as Gilmore's repeal of the car tax was statewide-- like it or not!

Garrett M. Smith (electronic mail, March 31, 2000).