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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977 07-20 Owners will get less for trees this year THE REVIEW �%�G�/ J" /91'2 Owners will get less for trees this year by Anne Skinner Maplewood residents will receive less subsidy per diseased tree removed than they did last year,as a result of a July 14 council action. The council was quick to stress the action was a result of a change in the state subsidy program. "The state is the one with all the excess money.The way we're going to get it. Then they give us this program.I hope that's where all the heat goes," Councilman Don Wiegert said. City Manager Mike Miller noted, "(The state) won't change if you pick up the lifference." The new program provides local zommunities with any number of options Lo distribute the subsidy — which has been reduced in light of higher expenses and which excludes from qualification property over five acres. The result of the council action is the property owner will pay 64.5 percent of the cost per tree, the city will pay 19.5 percent and the state, 16 percent. In dollar amounts,at an average cost of $128 per tree removed, the figures are $82.55 cost to resident,$25 cost to city and $20.45 cost to state. According to City Engineer Bill Cass, the elimination of property over five acres will exclude about 40 percent of the property subsidized last year. Wiegert added, "The citizen is going to get less because the state has screwed up magnificently on this one." Councilman John Greavu conferred and noted, "Yes, but they'll put them dummies back in again next year."