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Regional Coordination Cost and Finance A. Introduction RETH INK 6a RECYCLING® In 1980, the Minnesota Legislature enacted the Waste Management Act, established the solid waste management hierarchy of preferred waste management practices and required counties to manage solid waste in order to protect public health and the environment. The Legislature also clearly established a preference for the private provision of waste management services, as well as a preference that the costs of the waste management system be made visible to the consumer. Over time, the Legislature adopted a variety of laws related to the financing of the system, including SCORE taxes, landfill surcharges, public subsidies of recycling, designation, waste management service charges and county authority to issue bonds. The purpose of these laws is to provide the financial tools necessary to pay the costs of meeting the public objectives of protecting public health, a cleaner environment, and resource conservation. As the regional waste management system developed over the last 30 years, costs increased and the methods of financing changed. Waste generators now pay for waste management services in a variety of ways, ranging from direct payments to private providers, to state taxes or local charges that indirectly pay for other services. Publicly funded services are also financed in a variety of ways, mostly independently created and administered at the local level. There is no regional solid waste charge, but counties contribute funds to operate the SWMCB due to the collective belief that regional coordination has and will continue to improve solid waste management outcomes. B. Cost and Finance Principles This Regional Master Plan emphasizes the need to focus the limited public resources that are available on regional solid waste management priorities. This work must be achieved within a market - driven system and should strive to reduce reliance on public subsidies and local property taxes whenever possible. The following cost and finance principles will be used by the SWMCB as it considers future region -wide financing issues: Public and private pricing policies should create incentives for generators to manage solid waste as high as possible on the solid waste management hierarchy; The solid waste management system and each of its components should account for the full costs of managing waste, including risk management, long -term care, and environmental costs; 2011 -2030 Regional Solid Waste Master Plan Approved by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board on December 14, 2011 Appendix V Page 23