I'll take the bait . Here's the deal---80 percent of refuse picked up in Anchorage is picked up by a private company. Those 80 percent have the option to buy the service or not. Zero taxpayer money is gained or lost by them. The 20 percent that's picked up by the Muni's SWS requires zero taxpayer dollars . In fact , for over 40 years they've operated with a surplus and each year have given back to the Muni over a million a year. Put in terms you can understand---not only did they pay they're own way , they helped taxpayers across all of Anchorage by reducing the tax burden . Fire fighters on the other had have cost taxpayers above and beyond what they're budget calls for just because too many wanted off on vacation at the same time.  Rather than fire fighters offering to help by not taking off on vacation at the same time , they and they're union want taxpayers to pay even more . What they're mis-management has cost taxpayers is serious coin . And fire fighters don't care in the least.