Garbage tax could hurt food pantries

You won't believe it but they've pulled another fast one on us. We said goodbye to King Salomone; now say hello to the new Garbage Czar.

On Tuesday, June 5, when nobody was looking, Auburn City Manager Mark Palesh quietly sneaked in a revised budget proposal for 2007-2008 that includes a trash tax on nonprofit agencies, Cayuga County and the state. Then Palesh and the geniuses on the Auburn City Council scheduled a public hearing for June 7 when taxpayers could show up and make comments.

That gave us a whopping 48 hours to find out about the proposal and the hearing and make arrangements to show up. Then they'll vote on the budget on June 14. Zip, zap, zip - it's over! The brazen manipulation of the system by these people at our expense is beyond insult.