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By: Tony Farina

By a 4 to 1 vote, the Niagara Falls City Council tabled a vote on a proposed garbage user fee, effectively dumping it back into the lap of lame duck Mayor Paul Dyster, following a public hearing Wednesday night.

Council Chairman Andrew Touma said it will now be up to the mayor to propose ways to close a projected $5.5-million gap when he delivers his spending plan to lawmakers next Tuesday.

The proposal could include the user fee, layoffs, and a tax increase or a combination of all of the above.

Public safety speakers at the hearing favored a user fee over layoffs.  Residents opposed the proposed fee and urged that lawmakers and the mayor find cuts to balance the budget.