City of Anoka, 8/13/24 Special Election
Special Election Results = VICTORY !!!
With 74% of voters casting a YES vote, the city council was stripped of their authority to take away your right to choose your own hauler. Now the power rests with the people.
If the city council wants to institute a government managed trash collection program, where the city imposes one hauler on you, signs 7+ year contracts for service, or decides to create a city trash department, they will have to obtain a vote of the people in support at a future election.
Not surprisingly, the city council didn't get the message. They have now scheduled a vote for November 5, 2024 essentially asking the voters to give up the authority that was won in the August 13, 2024 election and give it back to the city council.
Not surprisingly, the city council has chosen to switch around the wording of their ballot question so if you voted YES in August, you will want to vote NO in November.
Vote totals by precinct:
Precinct Yes No Total Yes% No%
ANOKA P‐1 138 60 198 70% 30%
ANOKA P‐2 213 63 276 77% 23%
ANOKA P‐3 225 82 307 73% 27%
ANOKA P‐4 236 93 329 72% 28%
ANOKA P‐5 181 54 235 77% 23%
ANOKA P‐6 213 80 293 73% 27%
ANOKA P‐7 170 55 225 76% 24%
ANOKA P‐8 160 42 202 79% 21%
Total: 1,536 529 2065 74% 26%
With 74% of voters casting a YES vote, the city council was stripped of their authority to take away your right to choose your own hauler. Now the power rests with the people.
If the city council wants to institute a government managed trash collection program, where the city imposes one hauler on you, signs 7+ year contracts for service, or decides to create a city trash department, they will have to obtain a vote of the people in support at a future election.
Not surprisingly, the city council didn't get the message. They have now scheduled a vote for November 5, 2024 essentially asking the voters to give up the authority that was won in the August 13, 2024 election and give it back to the city council.
Not surprisingly, the city council has chosen to switch around the wording of their ballot question so if you voted YES in August, you will want to vote NO in November.
Vote totals by precinct:
Precinct Yes No Total Yes% No%
ANOKA P‐1 138 60 198 70% 30%
ANOKA P‐2 213 63 276 77% 23%
ANOKA P‐3 225 82 307 73% 27%
ANOKA P‐4 236 93 329 72% 28%
ANOKA P‐5 181 54 235 77% 23%
ANOKA P‐6 213 80 293 73% 27%
ANOKA P‐7 170 55 225 76% 24%
ANOKA P‐8 160 42 202 79% 21%
Total: 1,536 529 2065 74% 26%
Why do we have a ballot question to give voters the final say on solid waste collection?
Why are we asking for a YES vote on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 or by early voting?
Currently, the city council has the sole authority to take away your right to choose your own hauler, impose one hauler on residents, sign 7+ year contracts for service, or create a city trash department. If a majority of Anoka residents Vote YES on this ballot question, that power will instead be given to the people.
A victory for those Voting YES, means that if any major changes in the solid waste system are proposed in the future, the people must first be asked for their consent at the ballot box.
The August 13, 2024 ballot question really comes down to what your personal values are about government.
Most people believe that elected officials should have the authority to make most government decision, but not all. Most believe that "major issues" should be decided by a public vote.
Examples of "major issues" are school district referendums, construction of new school buildings, or imposing a new sales tax for a city building. Certainly the elimination of free market trash collection, imposing one hauler on residents, allowing 7+ year contracts for service, or creating a city trash department, all which would eliminate your right to choose your own hauler, makes this a "major issue".
If this is how you believe government should work. If your personal values are that "major issues" should be decided by a public vote, then you should Vote YES.
The August 13, 2024 ballot question isn't about pricing sheets or boring long winded contracts, it is about your personal values on how government decisions should be made, and when public input at the ballot box should be required.
It is really that simple. Vote YES with early voting at city hall or on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at your local precinct.
Why are we asking for a YES vote on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 or by early voting?
Currently, the city council has the sole authority to take away your right to choose your own hauler, impose one hauler on residents, sign 7+ year contracts for service, or create a city trash department. If a majority of Anoka residents Vote YES on this ballot question, that power will instead be given to the people.
A victory for those Voting YES, means that if any major changes in the solid waste system are proposed in the future, the people must first be asked for their consent at the ballot box.
The August 13, 2024 ballot question really comes down to what your personal values are about government.
Most people believe that elected officials should have the authority to make most government decision, but not all. Most believe that "major issues" should be decided by a public vote.
Examples of "major issues" are school district referendums, construction of new school buildings, or imposing a new sales tax for a city building. Certainly the elimination of free market trash collection, imposing one hauler on residents, allowing 7+ year contracts for service, or creating a city trash department, all which would eliminate your right to choose your own hauler, makes this a "major issue".
If this is how you believe government should work. If your personal values are that "major issues" should be decided by a public vote, then you should Vote YES.
The August 13, 2024 ballot question isn't about pricing sheets or boring long winded contracts, it is about your personal values on how government decisions should be made, and when public input at the ballot box should be required.
It is really that simple. Vote YES with early voting at city hall or on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at your local precinct.

The August 13, 2024 Ballot Question
The sample ballot pictured here is the complete wording of the August 13, 2024 ballot question titled, "Should Organized Solid Waste Collection be Subject to Voter Approval?".
Early voting now at City Hall:
8am - 4:30pm Mon-Fri, NOW.
9am - 3pm Saturday, August 10th
8am - 5pm Monday, August 12th
On Election Day at your local precinct:
7am - 8pm, Tuesday, August 13th.
Call the City Clerk at (763) 576-2712 for additional voting information.
The sample ballot pictured here is the complete wording of the August 13, 2024 ballot question titled, "Should Organized Solid Waste Collection be Subject to Voter Approval?".
Early voting now at City Hall:
8am - 4:30pm Mon-Fri, NOW.
9am - 3pm Saturday, August 10th
8am - 5pm Monday, August 12th
On Election Day at your local precinct:
7am - 8pm, Tuesday, August 13th.
Call the City Clerk at (763) 576-2712 for additional voting information.
Background information and why residents should vote YES.
After the 2022 November election, a new 3-2 majority on the Anoka city council started spending thousands of dollars of your property tax money to force a scheme called "organized" solid waste collection onto the people.
"Organized" solid waste collection is a fancy government term that means giving City Hall the unlimited power to make all solid waste hauling decisions. It is government managed or government run trash collection, plain and simple. It becomes a government monopoly. You lose your choice to shop for lower prices and better services.
Voting YES protects your rights.
Under "organized" solid waste collection, City Hall would be allowed to contract with one hauler of their choosing. They can pick any politically favored company. The law does not require them to pick the lowest bidder, the best service, or the local company.
For many years, Anoka City Hall paid multiple times more $$$ to publish legal notices in a newspaper few received, because they personally liked the high bidder. This needlessly cost taxpayers, homeowners, and contractors thousands of dollars more. Money needlessly flushed down the drain. This same type of thinking can easily happen under "organized" collection.
Voting Yes would stop costly and corruptible behavior.
City Hall could also spend millions of dollars without voter approval (revenue bonds) to buy garbage trucks and hire city employees for a new City of Anoka trash hauling department if "organized" solid waste collection is instituted.
Voting YES would stop City Hall from creating a city trash department now or in the future.
Under "organized" solid waste collection, you would lose your right to choose to have no service at all. For example, senior citizens would be prohibited from sharing a can. Both seniors would be forced to have separate service at greater expense. If you paid for trash service at your business and disposed of your home trash there, you would still be forced to pay for service at your home which you would never use.
Voting YES would preserve your right to share service or choose to have no service at all.
In every city that has instituted "organized" solid waste collection, property taxes end up subsidizing the trash system, which does not currently occur in Anoka's open market choice system.
In an "organized" solid waste collection system, City Hall suddenly becomes responsible for customer service issues. When scofflaws don't pay their bill, guess who pays? Yup, the taxpayers do. Who has to collect bad debt? Yup, city employees end up becoming debt collectors. In an open market system, haulers are 100% responsible for customer service, eat 100% of bad debt, and are burdened with 100% of debt collection.
Voting YES will stop property taxes from subsidizing the trash hauling system.
When an "organized" solid waste collection system is instituted, this triggers provisions in the Minnesota Data Practices Act. Much of your personal data that is currently kept private by haulers suddenly becomes the property of City Hall and is made public. How many people would want the entire world to know that they are going to Florida for 3 months and want their trash service suspended? Talk about giving criminals a road map to burglarize empty homes, right?
In addition, "Organized" cities can also require computer chips to be installed in containers to track your usage. Does anyone think it is government's business if you choose to set out your can for pickup on any given week or how much weight you place in it?
Voting YES will keep your private data out of the hands of City Hall, the public, and criminals.
City Hall's claim that "organizing" will lead to lower taxes, better service, more options, cheaper price, and less road maintenance by using fewer than 15 licensed trucks a week, simply defies common sense.
Voting YES will send a signal to City Hall that we have more pressing issues to focus on in Anoka, such as crime, property taxes, inflation, and affordability.
After the 2022 November election, a new 3-2 majority on the Anoka city council started spending thousands of dollars of your property tax money to force a scheme called "organized" solid waste collection onto the people.
"Organized" solid waste collection is a fancy government term that means giving City Hall the unlimited power to make all solid waste hauling decisions. It is government managed or government run trash collection, plain and simple. It becomes a government monopoly. You lose your choice to shop for lower prices and better services.
Voting YES protects your rights.
Under "organized" solid waste collection, City Hall would be allowed to contract with one hauler of their choosing. They can pick any politically favored company. The law does not require them to pick the lowest bidder, the best service, or the local company.
For many years, Anoka City Hall paid multiple times more $$$ to publish legal notices in a newspaper few received, because they personally liked the high bidder. This needlessly cost taxpayers, homeowners, and contractors thousands of dollars more. Money needlessly flushed down the drain. This same type of thinking can easily happen under "organized" collection.
Voting Yes would stop costly and corruptible behavior.
City Hall could also spend millions of dollars without voter approval (revenue bonds) to buy garbage trucks and hire city employees for a new City of Anoka trash hauling department if "organized" solid waste collection is instituted.
Voting YES would stop City Hall from creating a city trash department now or in the future.
Under "organized" solid waste collection, you would lose your right to choose to have no service at all. For example, senior citizens would be prohibited from sharing a can. Both seniors would be forced to have separate service at greater expense. If you paid for trash service at your business and disposed of your home trash there, you would still be forced to pay for service at your home which you would never use.
Voting YES would preserve your right to share service or choose to have no service at all.
In every city that has instituted "organized" solid waste collection, property taxes end up subsidizing the trash system, which does not currently occur in Anoka's open market choice system.
In an "organized" solid waste collection system, City Hall suddenly becomes responsible for customer service issues. When scofflaws don't pay their bill, guess who pays? Yup, the taxpayers do. Who has to collect bad debt? Yup, city employees end up becoming debt collectors. In an open market system, haulers are 100% responsible for customer service, eat 100% of bad debt, and are burdened with 100% of debt collection.
Voting YES will stop property taxes from subsidizing the trash hauling system.
When an "organized" solid waste collection system is instituted, this triggers provisions in the Minnesota Data Practices Act. Much of your personal data that is currently kept private by haulers suddenly becomes the property of City Hall and is made public. How many people would want the entire world to know that they are going to Florida for 3 months and want their trash service suspended? Talk about giving criminals a road map to burglarize empty homes, right?
In addition, "Organized" cities can also require computer chips to be installed in containers to track your usage. Does anyone think it is government's business if you choose to set out your can for pickup on any given week or how much weight you place in it?
Voting YES will keep your private data out of the hands of City Hall, the public, and criminals.
City Hall's claim that "organizing" will lead to lower taxes, better service, more options, cheaper price, and less road maintenance by using fewer than 15 licensed trucks a week, simply defies common sense.
Voting YES will send a signal to City Hall that we have more pressing issues to focus on in Anoka, such as crime, property taxes, inflation, and affordability.
Let's talk about the 2015 Anoka solution which already addressed citizen concerns about solid waste collection.
After a large town hall meeting, Anoka citizens came together as a community with a compromise solution that was passed unanimously by the city council in 2015.
This public process led to an agreement to keep an open competitive market in solid waste hauling, while reducing the number of haulers and trucks. Read the city ordinance here.
This ordinance has been wildly successful. The number of licensed trucks in Anoka were reduced by 60% to only 15 citywide today! The number of licensed haulers in the city were reduced from 6 to 3 (+1 only in SE Anoka). The city continues to have healthy competition and quality service, but with fewer trucks and haulers.
The current 3-2 city council now wants to throw out the 2015 solution and institute a complete government takeover!
The reasons given by the three council members who want to eliminate the 2015 agreement and replace it with a single hauler government "organized" solid waste collection seem to constantly change. At one council meeting, they said they wanted one hauler. Then they complained about lack of competition with only 3 haulers. Then when presented with a proposal to expand the number of hauler licenses, the three voted no.
Over the past 10+ years, Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice has lost track of the number of excuses certain city council members have given to support their desire to institute government "organized" solid waste collection. The only consistent theme is that they want City Hall to have more power to make decisions that Anoka residents are perfectly capable of making for themselves.
After a large town hall meeting, Anoka citizens came together as a community with a compromise solution that was passed unanimously by the city council in 2015.
This public process led to an agreement to keep an open competitive market in solid waste hauling, while reducing the number of haulers and trucks. Read the city ordinance here.
This ordinance has been wildly successful. The number of licensed trucks in Anoka were reduced by 60% to only 15 citywide today! The number of licensed haulers in the city were reduced from 6 to 3 (+1 only in SE Anoka). The city continues to have healthy competition and quality service, but with fewer trucks and haulers.
The current 3-2 city council now wants to throw out the 2015 solution and institute a complete government takeover!
The reasons given by the three council members who want to eliminate the 2015 agreement and replace it with a single hauler government "organized" solid waste collection seem to constantly change. At one council meeting, they said they wanted one hauler. Then they complained about lack of competition with only 3 haulers. Then when presented with a proposal to expand the number of hauler licenses, the three voted no.
Over the past 10+ years, Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice has lost track of the number of excuses certain city council members have given to support their desire to institute government "organized" solid waste collection. The only consistent theme is that they want City Hall to have more power to make decisions that Anoka residents are perfectly capable of making for themselves.
Don't get fooled by social media. Read Court documents for yourself.
The city council was sued by haulers on June 21, 2024 for violating state law when they voted 3-2 to move forward with the government "organized" solid waste collection process.
Media reports have led to discussions on social media pages, some of which are invitation only and managed by supporters of government "organized" solid waste collection.
Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice cautions about being misled by social media propaganda. When documents are publicly available, take the time to read them for yourself and get educated on the issues.
The court file number is 02-CV-24-3542. Current documents are posted on the court's website at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. Search by case number. Click to download each document. It is as simple as that. The Anoka County District Court can also be contacted at (763) 760-6700 for help. You can even go to the Anoka courthouse and get free printed copies!
As of July 11th, 13 documents have been posted that contain almost 600 pages of affidavits and exhibits.
The city council was sued by haulers on June 21, 2024 for violating state law when they voted 3-2 to move forward with the government "organized" solid waste collection process.
Media reports have led to discussions on social media pages, some of which are invitation only and managed by supporters of government "organized" solid waste collection.
Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice cautions about being misled by social media propaganda. When documents are publicly available, take the time to read them for yourself and get educated on the issues.
The court file number is 02-CV-24-3542. Current documents are posted on the court's website at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. Search by case number. Click to download each document. It is as simple as that. The Anoka County District Court can also be contacted at (763) 760-6700 for help. You can even go to the Anoka courthouse and get free printed copies!
As of July 11th, 13 documents have been posted that contain almost 600 pages of affidavits and exhibits.
Updated 9/25/24