Trash Talking: Both Sides Of St. Paul Garbage Collection Fracas Face Off In Debate

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- St. Paul residents will soon decide whether or not the city's current trash collection ordinance will stay or go.

Both sides were talking trash Tuesday night at a debate hosted by St. Paul Neighborhood Network and the League of Women Voters.

"We've got a binder here of all the people that complained," said Tom Goldstein, who represented the St. Paul Trash Lawsuit at the debate.

READ MORE: 'I Think It's Regrettable': St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter Receives Racist Threats Over Trash Debate

This rubbish rumpus has be ongoing for months in the capitol city.

"It was a very inequitable and unequal system that hurt a lot of resident," said JaNaé Bates, who represented Yes for St. Paul.

St. Paul implemented a new system last year where a variety of trash collectors were assigned to specific neighborhoods. Residents were no longer able to choose their collector, and some saw a spike in prices.

In response, a group against the new system started a petition and sued the city. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in August that the issue be left up to voters in November.

"A 'yes' vote means that we're not going to be talking about trash for years to come," said Javier Morillo, who also represented Yes for St. Paul at the debate. "I think it's very important for residents to think about what it is that we are voting on, and what we're voting on is the actual ordinance that established organized trash collection."

Ward One resident Nancy Booth said she isn't opposed to consolidated trash, but is against the way it was handled. She will be voting "no."

"I've seen prices go up. I've seen people be forced to have trash coverage that they didn't need and haven't had in 30 years, and I think it is unfair," Booth said.

Election Day is November 5, but several early voting centers are already open in St. Paul. More information on polling stations can be found on St. Paul's city website, and on pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us.