Swarthmore Borough is facing another large tax increase in 2026 and every borough expenditure must be analyzed for its return on investment. Implementing a new food scraps program in 2026 for $150,000 is neither a valid nor logical new large ongoing expense to incur for the borough. A mouse could not survive on my own food scraps and many residents will not utilize this curb pickup program — so the high cost will benefit only a few.
If food scraps are that large of a problem in the borough, we can explore ways to merge it into the yard waste program — as many other local municipalities do — at a far lower cost! The council needs to be mindful of adding burdens to homeowners in costs and regulations that make purchasing a home here increasingly prohibitive.
Rob Jordan is a Swarthmore resident.
