Starting from January 1st, residents of Galați are facing a significant increase in the waste tax, which has risen from 170 lei to nearly 300 lei per year for each person. This increase of almost 70% has surprised many Galați residents, affecting family budgets, especially for those with children, where the bill can exceed 1,100 lei annually. Many residents feel compelled to postpone paying the tax, even at the risk of losing the 10% discount for early payment, prioritizing daily expenses. The Galați City Hall justifies this increase by the rising costs of waste collection, transport, and storage, but these explanations do not calm the population, which observes that sanitation services have not significantly improved. Galați residents continue to use the same old bins, and the smart bins installed remain unused. Thus, January 1st is no longer perceived as a promising start, but rather as a moment of financial stress for many citizens.
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