Ohio Trash Tax Increase

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has proposed raising the state trash tax by more than 135% to make up for budget cuts. The tax would jump from $2 to $4.75 for each ton of trash dumped in Ohio landfills. Opponents believe that increasing the cost of trash disposal will cause communities to send their refuse to Indiana or another state where it is cheaper.

Let me restate, the tax increase will be more than 135% and, if adopted, it becomes effective October 1. It has no purpose other than giving the EPA more money to convince me that global warming is my fault. Environmental protection, my backside! It ought to be called the emergency promotion agency because every time an EPA official makes an announcement and every time a letter is written, it's an emergency. Based upon what I've heard, I breathe the country's filthiest air, I ingest toxic levels of PCBs and mercury, and the food I eat has dangerous levels of pesticides. So, naturally, I should pay more in taxes. I'm obviously sick.

And, while I'm at it, how about the group of anti-civilization pointy-heads that oversees the Endangered Species List. All too often, a bridge or residence or factory can't be built because a meandering biologist found a colony of ... what? ... goosewacking chili beetles. Or the biologist closed an entire region to resource development because it's the natural habitat of the stinking desert wasp. This is crazy and it makes no sense. Typically, the pointy-headed biologists are the same people that oppose teaching creationism in schools, fervently demanding that the theory of evolution be taught instead. Hypocritically, while they want everyone else to adopt the theory of evolution, they go behind the scenes and try to fiddle with it. Survival of the fittest is fine until it involves human civilization and the needs of people.

The hunt for endangered species also seems to follow announced plans for development and, it seems, something is always found. I suspiciously think that there have been instances where the initial identification of a species or subspecies was immediately followed by its inclusion on the Endangered Species List. And it all occurred because a biologist was looking for a reason to stunt development of an area of land.

Now, there wouldn't be a problem if the pointy-headed biologists would let evolution work, but they don't. Recently, construction of Lakeside High School in Ashtabula County was halted because a biologist found a pregnant bat nesting 'near' the area. I don't know exactly how much money was wasted by having the entire project stopped in mid-stream, but I suspect it was several hundred thousand dollars which the taxpayers will be forced to cough up. Congressman Steve LaTourette even got involved to try and get the project moving after months of delay.

No matter how long I live, I cannot imagine giving one whit about spotted owls. I can say, however, that I'm constantly reminded of the price of lumber. Therefore, I suggest letting companies responsibly harvest timber and have the spotted owls find new digs. Survival of the fittest, right? If the biologists want to get involved, capture a few breeding pairs and take them to New York. I understand that if they can make it there, they can make it anywhere.

In conclusion, don't increase the trash tax to give more funds to the Ohio EPA. They would just hire more biologists, resulting in more emergencies and impediments to growth of business. And, excuse the rant, but I'm obviously sick from living in one of the worst scumholes in the country. Just ask the EPA.