Man sues Pennsylvania city over ‘excessive’ garbage fee

    A Pennsylvania man isn’t sure how much it costs his city to collect garbage, but he’s sure the city’s charging more than necessary.

    The (Scranton) Times-Tribune says that’s gist of Adam Giuffrida’s class action lawsuit against Scranton.

    The northeastern Pennsylvania city raised its annual trash collection fee from $178 to $300 two years ago.

    The lawsuit says the city code requires the fee to cover only costs directly associated with trash collection, but contends the fee is being used as a “general revenue source.”

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    The city’s garbage collection budget is $4.2 million this year and, through September, the city has spent about $2.8 million. But the lawsuit contends the city has collected $6.2 million in fees.

    City council says it plans to study the actual cost of collecting garbage.

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