A yes vote means no and a no vote means maybe. That's the choice being presented to Columbia residents who will vote Tuesday on Proposition 1.
A yes vote on Proposition 1 would lock in Columbia’s current bag-based trash collection system and prevent the city from considering roll carts or other trash collection options in the future.
The Solid Waste Advocacy Group (SWAG) collected more than 4,000 signatures on a petition to stop the city from implementing roll carts last fall, and the city council decided to place it before voters.
Supporters of the proposition say roll carts would increase city costs, threaten the independence of some residents who can’t manage roll carts on their own and negatively impact recycling efforts. Opponents say voting no on Tuesday would allow the city to explore different options for trash collection.
“A no vote would allow us the possibility to bring in experts to look at our system, devise something that’s going to be safer for our workers, less expensive for our rate payers and better for our planet," said Second Ward councilman Michael Trapp. He is also the chairperson of the Committee for Roll Cart Choice.
He says a no vote on Proposition 1 is not a vote for roll carts, and there is no support on the council for a total change towards roll carts.
The initiative is appearing on Tuesday's presidential primary ballot because city law requires propositions to be placed on the next available polling date after a petition is received.
