TEXARKANA, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS) – Starting May 1 and continuing through the end of the year, Texarkana residents will have a fuel charge added to their garbage collection bills.
A unanimous decision was made last week by the City Board of Directors to add a small charge to compensate the city’s three trash haulers for the recent spike in gasoline prices.
City Manager Jay Ellington says their trash haulers don’t have the funds to take on additional costs.
“These additional costs were trying to do as a partnership, relationship, so they can keep their business healthy. At the same time making sure that our service to the citizens is the first thing that we want to make sure happens,” said Ellington.
The board agreed that if diesel fuel is priced at $4.31, the fuel surcharge will be 41 cents per month for 60 days, and higher fuel prices will bring higher charges.
The surcharge on the bill will be indexed to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
As of Monday, the EIA average was $5.101 per gallon of diesel, so residents on the Arkansas side of Texarkana will see the additional 41-cent charge in their upcoming bills.
