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LOS ANGELES () — The owner of Langer’s Deli, a popular Los Angeles restaurant, is worried his customers will be the ones paying for the giant garbage fee hike he now faces.
“It’s absurd. It’s absurd,” Norm Langer told Eyewitness News. “There’s enough problems in life, but now we got a problem in life with garbage? Come on, give me a break.”
When Norm got his October bill for garbage collection, it had jumped more than 70% from last month, but why? Because of a lock.
“So here I get dinged $1,800 extra for carrying a key,” Norm said.
That’s not an exaggeration. Because the driver has to unlock Norm’s dumpster gate lock, five times a week, he is being charged nearly $1,800.
Norm says the reached out to Athens Services, the company assigned by the city of L.A. to that area.
“Oh Mr. Langer I’m terribly sorry. Let me have our local representative who is in charge of your area contact you. I’m still waiting,” said Norm.
7 called Athens Services and they stood by the bill, saying that is simply what they charge to unlock a lock, whether it’s by key or code.
Norm says that if this isn’t fixed, it will lead to two things — first, prices at the deli could go up.
“I’m a small mom and pop store. I mean, how much can I absorb? Food cost is going up, fuel is going up, Everything is going up and now trash is going up?” Norm said.
His other option — a bit tongue-in-cheek, is public spectacle.
“I’m thinking I’m gonna get a boat. I’m gonna put it in the boat and put it in the lake across the street and we’ll see how long it floats.”
Frustration aside, Norm says he plans to pay the bill without the extra surcharge and hopes he hears back from the company. He also said that he and his team have seen the trucks from Athens dump the food scraps, the compost which the bulk of these charges are for, in with the trash, co-mingling the two.
Eyewitness News reached out to L.A. Sanitation for comment but have not heard back.
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