HOLIDAY, FL -- It's safe to say Jim Turtle loves where he lives.
"I said when I retired and told my wife I'm going to have a house on a lake and I have found it. And if I won the lottery I wouldn't even move," said Turtle.
This Vietnam vet loves his home in Holiday not far from US 19. He loves the water, he loves his boat. But he doesn't like the bills he keeps getting from Aloha Utilities and the fact that he doesn't have a choice in using their services.
"Why should we have to be stuck with Aloha," he asks.
Earlier this year a public agency bought up Aloha's water business in Pasco County. But the company is still charging many residents in the Tahitian homes area for garbage pick-up.
During our visit with Jim, he called up asking Aloha if he could dump their service and use someone else. An operator told him it wasn't an option.
State Senator Mike Fasano says that's just not true.
"There are probably a dozen plus companies in Pasco County that people could choose from to have their garbage picked up," said Fasano.
Fasno is looking into Aloha's business practices. He's also trying to find out how and why Aloha is charging customers for neighborhood street lights.
He believes they are buying electricity from Progress Energy, selling it to customers, and likely making money along the way.
"Unless you are regulated by the public service commission. You cannot, as a private entity, sell electricity," said Fasano.
We tried to get a comment from Aloha Utilities by phone. They no longer have an office in the Bay area . But we were told no one was available.
"Aloha hasn't returned a phone call to me in about 15 years. So I don't expect them to return one anytime soon," said Fasano.
Senator Fasano is proposing a local bill that could fix the situation, at least when it comes to garbage removal in Pasco County.
It would allow people to pick any trash removal company they want, whether they live in a deed restricted community or not.
