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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Three months into the budget year the city lost $35,000 in revenues without the proposed $10-a-year increase in the recycling fee.</p><p>The higher fee of $60 is expected to generate an additional $140,000, raise the annual revenue total to $840,000 and balance Mayor Tony George&#8217;s $50.4 million general fund budget. What city will do to plug the budget shortfall remains to be seen.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll be holding off for a while to see what we have to do with this,&#8221; City Administrator Rick Gazenski said Monday.</p><p>City council deadlocked 2-2 almost two months ago and failed to pass the second reading of the ordinance to raise the fee. Three meetings have been held since the vote on Feb. 7, but the administration has yet to revisit the issue as promised.</p><p>&#8220;It will be resolved at some point,&#8221; Gazenski said.</p><p>City council vice chairman Bill Barrett, along with councilwoman Beth Gilbert, voted against the increase. Gilbert has been steadfast in her opposition to tax and fee increases. Barrett initially supported the higher fee, but changed his mind at the second reading out of concerns of fairness for all residents.</p><p>Councilman Tony Brooks also voted in favor of the higher fee at its first reading on Jan. 24. He was excused from the meeting when the second vote was taken. If it comes to yet another vote, Brooks said he would oppose it &#8220;based on feedback&#8221; from his constituents in District B that they are &#8220;overtaxed and overfeed.&#8221;</p><p>Council chairman Mike Belusko and councilman Mike Merritt voted for the increased fee.</p><p>At his request Barrett received information from City Clerk Jim Ryan on how other municipalities throughout the state handle recycling fees. Some cities, like Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, do not charge households. Other municipalities charge annual rates and that include garbage pickup: Allentown, $375; Etna, $240; Shillington, $205; and West Brandywine Township, $295. Reading charges a combined garbage and recycling fee of $294 or standalone recycling fee of $74.04. Wilkes-Barre charges a per-bag fee that depends on the size of the city-issued bags.</p><p>Barrett said he is still waiting for information on the city&#8217;s delinquent accounts that are collected by the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority. He acknowledged he could be persuaded to support the higher fee based on what he receives.</p><p>&#8220;I just need answers,&#8221; Barrett said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_TTL120618Gazenski1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Gazenski </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_TTL120618Gazenski1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Gazenski </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre loses revenue as it considers what to do on higher recycling fee