It seems the controversial no-pickup rule for Christmas trees in Belleville’s Thurlow Ward has a simple answer….you get what you pay for. Mayor Neil Ellis says Belleville Ward residents pay for what’s known as “core services.” Thurlow residents may pay high taxes but he says they don’t pay for “core services.” Mayor Ellis says some municipalities now even charge residents for sidewalk snowplowing in front of their house. He says people pick up the tree in the first place so they could put them on that same vehicle and drop them off. His comment…. “it’s a pretty high level of service…picking up Christmas trees.” He didn’t exactly say “tree pickup” would be looked at, but the budget debate is coming up.
