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Jackson homeowners will not be allowed to rake their leaves into city streets this fall

Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio

Autumn is a lovely time in Jackson.    But people living along Jackson‘s tree lined streets will face a problem this Fall: How to get rid of all those falling leaves?

It’s something of a suburban ritual.   Once the leaves fall, homeowners rake them into the street to be cleared away.     But not this fall in Jackson.

The city recently lost a legal challenge to its storm water fee.   The Court of the Appeals ruled the fee was actually an illegal tax.  

Money from the fee paid for street cleaning in Jackson.  No fee equals no money for street cleaning, including leaf pickup.

The Jackson city council is set to vote Tuesday night on an ordinance barring city residents from raking their leaves into the street this fall.   

“I think a lot of people really want to see leaf pickup as a service for the city and it’s just a matter of figuring out how we’re going to do that,” says 6th ward city councilman Derek Dobies, “We’re just going to have to continue to get the word out about the current state of affairs …people not putting their leaves in the street…as we work towards a short term solution…to helping people dispose of their leaves.”

City residents will either have to haul their leaves to Jackson’s wastewater plant or pay a trash hauler to cart the leaves away.

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
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