Another budget increase at the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority.
On Tuesday, the board approved a 4.1% increase for 2020.
Manager of Finance and Administration Michelle Bishop says the 2020 increase is the same as 2019 noting the increase is needed to meet the authority's goal of balancing the books by 2027.
"In our objective to get to a balanced budget, we will be assessing a 4.1 percent increase to the municipalities," says Bishop. "It was the increase last year and it will continue to be the increase for the next five to six years."
Bishop says the 4.1 percent increase will remain in place for future budgets unless the board makes some adjustments.
"We do have some variable items such as landfill tipping fees, recycling commodity prices so if there are significant swings to any of those, it could change that 4.1 either to the good or to the bad, it will depend," says Bishop.
She says residents will not notice any changes because there aren't any program enhancements or program cuts.
The operating budget is just shy of $27-million.
In 2017, the board did not approve an increase but in 2018 there was a two percent increase.
The solid waste authority will now present its budget to city council along with county council.
Both councils must approve the budget for it to go through.