36 Nov. 19 - Dec. 2, 2011 Publisher’sNote Happy Thanksgiving
Just a short publisher’s note this issue to wish all of our readers and advertisers a very Happy Thanksgiving. We’ll be spending time with family in Prescott, but however you celebrate the day or whomever you are with, take a moment to give thanks for all that you have. Even if you think it’s not much, you can always find someone else who is more unfortunate, and it will make you appreciate your life a bit more.
We are very thankful for all of you who pick up the
SanTan Sun News, and for those who help us support it. We are especially thankful for all our great team members who work so hard each and every issue to bring you a product that we are very proud of, especially as we celebrate our 12th year of ownership of the newspaper, which is now in its 16th year of continuous publication.
Opinion Community Commentary
Recycling efforts aid community by Councilmember Jack Sellers
As a Chandler resident, I have been impressed with several creative programs that the City has implemented in an effort to be better stewards of taxpayer dollars.
Staff in our Solid Waste Services Division created the Trash to Treasure program to divert trash from the landfill and find new life for items in usable condition.
The idea first developed when staff discovered there were things like construction material, clothing, furniture, and other household items being dropped off for disposal. Many of the items appeared to be in moderate to good and sometimes new condition. It seemed natural to try to find opportunities for reuse rather than haul these items to the landfill. When these items are dropped off they are collected and stored at the Solid Waste Collection Center. Each month one of five participating nonprofit organizations pick up the donated items. Currently, the City has agreements with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona; Catholic Charities Community Services; Habitat for Humanity; Stardust Building Supplies and Swift Charities for Children.
Laurie Fagen Publisher Laurie Fagen, Publisher
Shopping locally keeps Chandler economy healthy
by Councilmember Rick Heumann
It’s hard to believe that the holidays are right around the corner. At this special time of the year, I like to remind Chandler residents of the critical benefits of shopping locally. In the past few years, the City of Chandler launched a campaign called “Invest Wisely, Shop Chandler” to encourage everyone to spend their dollars at retail stores and restaurants located within the city limits. The initiative was meant to help strengthen our local economy and maintain the quality of life that we have come to enjoy.
As I have shared before, our local economy is heavily reliant on sales tax revenue generated by transactions that occur within our city boundaries. The revenue from every dollar spent in Chandler helps support core municipal services such as police and fire protection, parks and recreation programs, road improvements and much more. In that respect, money spent anywhere in Chandler benefits our community. On the other hand, online purchases with out-of-state companies don’t bring anything back. It is important that we continue to help independent businesses in our community. They are the backbone of Arizona’s economy. Locally owned businesses have vested interests in the region and therefore, they are more likely to invest through corporate giving. In fact, many of our youth organizations, food banks and social service agencies rely on donations they receive from the private sector to operate.
Moreover, independent businesses tend to reinvest more of their dollars in the community by contracting with local suppliers. This may not be the case with chain stores that don’t typically rely on local goods and services and send a large percentage of their profits back to corporate headquarters, often in other states. Numerous studies show that there is a multiplier effect for shopping at community-based stores. When we spend $100 at a local independent store, $40 to $45 gets filtered back into the community compared to $10 to $15 if we spend it at a chain business. Numbers aside, patronizing small businesses also builds civic pride and community involvement. Residents are more likely to stay in a community if they feel connected to it. There’s nothing like a shop owner who knows his clients by name and has the expertise to provide for their needs. When such ties with the business community exist, people are more likely to volunteer, vote, attend events and contribute to charities.
These concepts are not new to us, but it is easy to fall into the temptation of shopping at the last minute at large retail stores or online. The City of Chandler and the nonprofit agency Local First have created websites designed to remind residents of the importance of shopping locally. The websites
www.chandleraz.gov/shop and
www.localfirstaz.com provide business directories and other tools to make informed consumer decisions.
While celebrating the season, let’s make a concerted effort to patronize retail stores and restaurants in Chandler. Our collective contributions help our community retain the quality of life that we have enjoyed so far.
The Deadline for Editorial and Advertising for the FEBRUARY 16, 2002 issue is
MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 23 Chandler, AZ 85244-0023
TELEPHONE: 480-732-0250
FAX LINE: 480-883-8714
©2011 SanTan Sun News
For News Tips, Classified Ads, Editorial Articles, or Letters, email is preferred.
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Deadlines for the December 3, 2011 issue: EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING: noon Tuesday, Nov. 22
DEADLINES: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2002
38,000 Total Circulation 29,500+ Driveways
Fifty square mile coverage area from Price/101 to Greenfield and from Frye to Hunt Highway.
PUBLISHER Laurie Fagen
ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION Geoff Hancock
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Darlene Keberle
GRAPHIC ARTS/PRODUCTION Shawn Patrick
WEBSITE MAINTAINED BY Susan Kovacs, n-ergizing
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jane Meyer Debbie Jennings
WRITERS Susan Henderson, Managing Editor Lynda Exley, Editor Mark Scarp, Technical Editor
Melissa Bordow David M. Brown Andy Gutierrez K.M. Lang Sharon McCarson
Kevin Rolfe Alison Stanton Miriam Van Scott Ann Videan Joan Westlake
CONTRIBUTORS Katie Struzynski, Allison Thomas, Sue Bowers, Suzanne Incorvaia, Kristen Boyd, Susan Hegarty, Laura Thornburg, Lisa Shore, Kathie Butters, Melissa Hartley, Ximena Rodriguez, Judy Cresanta
It’s important to mention the Trash to Treasure collection site is not intended to replace other means of donation collection already in place, but simply to find opportunities to recycle items that might otherwise be discarded. The City strongly encourages recycling and provides a number of ways to make it easier for residents to participate in our programs. Many residents are familiar with the curbside recycling program in which a number of everyday items are accepted including newspaper, aluminum cans, plastic bottles and glass.
There are other opportunities to recycle as well. Larger items like televisions, computers or appliances can be recycled by scheduling a bulk pick-up. Another option is dropping off items like scrap metal, electronics and large pieces of cardboard at the Recycling Solid Waste Collection Center at 955 E. Queen Creek Rd. To accommodate residents from the multi-family or business communities, there are also 17 neighborhood drop off recycling sites throughout Chandler.
On Nov. 15, America Recycles Day was recognized nationally. This was a day set aside to help educate the community about the importance of recycling and encourage individuals to look for new ways to participate in recycling efforts. It was also a wonderful opportunity to remind residents that recycling not only has an environmental impact, but also a financial one.
Approximately 75 percent of residential solid waste is trash and 25 percent is recyclable materials. Our cost to haul trash to the landfill is $37 per ton. The City receives a minimum of $25.50 per ton for recyclable materials and an additional $2.35 per ton from our contractor for educational efforts, plus we save the landfill cost for every ton that is recycled. Consequently, recycling efforts help keep the rates down as revenue earned from recyclable materials helps to offset the cost of disposal.
To learn more information about the City’s recycling programs, visit
www.chandleraz. gov or call Solid Waste Services at 480-782-3510.
For those who participate in the City’s recycling program, I thank you for your contribution in helping to reduce service costs. For others who have not yet participated, America Recycles Day is a great time to start by making a pledge to reduce personal waste through recycling.
www.SanTanSun.com
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