LaSalle Residents Are Paying More for Worse Service – Here’s Why

2/27/2025

Did you know that LaSalle residents are paying $8,000 more per year for trash service—without any added benefits? This is because Mayor Jeff Groves chose LRS over Republic Services, despite Republic offering a lower price and more options for residents.

The Real Cost of This Decision:

✔ Higher Prices: Republic quoted $18/month for service, while LRS charges $20/month with fewer cart options.

✔ Loss of Union Jobs: Republic, the only unionized waste company in LaSalle County, was kicked out. LRS remains non-union.

✔ $400,000 in Lost County Revenue: Republic owns the LaSalle County landfill and pays a host tax based on trash tonnage. Since LRS takes trash to Atkinson, LaSalle County loses $400,000 per year that could be funding services like roads, schools, and emergency response.

✔ Recycling Fraud: LRS drivers admitted to dumping recycling with trash—violating environmental regulations and betraying residents who separate their waste. They were caught doing this in Kewanee and only recently started using Republic’s recycling center after public exposure.

✔ Worse Service: LRS routes are slow, drivers are quitting, and equipment failures are delaying pickups.

This is about more than trash service—it’s about financial mismanagement and environmental negligence. If Groves made this decision for personal reasons, instead of what was best for LaSalle, residents deserve answers.

LRS officials attend City Council meeting, respond to complaints