To bring back TheBus — or at least many of its routes that Mayor Peter Carlisle eliminated early this year — the Honolulu City Council will consider repealing a subsidy for private recycling companies.

Inside Honolulu reports:

The city offers a tip fee discount to these businesses to dispose of their recycling residue at the H-POWER electricity generating facility and the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill.

On Wednesday, the City Council plans to reduce this subsidy in order to raise money to restore cuts to but services that caused many who rode the transit system to call foul.

Here’s an op-ed from Honolulu Council Chair Ernie Martin and Budget Committee Chair Ann Kobayashi that was published in today’s Star-Advertiser and that explains why they support the repeal. (Subscription required.)

To check out the full City Council agenda, click here.

—Nick Grube