Service manager Nabil, councillor Rana, and resident Salim examine a proposed waste-collection fee increase in a fictional town, separating operating costs, equipment spending, and affordability.
01Read the Arabic conversation
تَوْضِيحُ زِيَادَةِ رُسُومِ الْخِدْمَاتِ الْعَامَّةِ
نَبِيلٌ: أَرْسَلْنَا مُسَوَّدَةَ إِشْعَارٍ تَقْتَرِحُ رَفْعَ رَسْمِ جَمْعِ النُّفَايَاتِ السَّنَوِيِّ مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ وَحْدَةً إِلَى ثَمَانٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ. وَصَفْنَا الزِّيَادَةَ بِأَنَّهَا ضَرُورِيَّةٌ لِاسْتِمْرَارِ الْخِدْمَةِ، لَكِنَّ الْمَجْلِسَ لَمْ يُقِرَّهَا بَعْدُ.
رَنَا: وَهَذَا أَوَّلُ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى تَصْحِيحٍ؛ فَالْمُقْتَرَحُ لَيْسَ قَرَارًا. قَبْلَ مُنَاقَشَةِ الرَّقْمِ، أُرِيدُ فَصْلَ تَكْلِفَةِ التَّشْغِيلِ عَنْ شِرَاءِ الْمُعَدَّاتِ، وَبَيَانَ مَا تَتَحَمَّلُهُ مِيزَانِيَّةُ الْبَلْدَةِ.
سَلِيمٌ: فَهِمْتُ مِنَ الْإِشْعَارِ أَنَّ عَلَيَّ دَفْعَ الْمَبْلَغِ الْجَدِيدِ الْآنَ. وَحِينَ تَأَخَّرَ الْجَمْعُ فِي شَارِعِنَا مَرَّتَيْنِ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ، بَدَا لِي أَنَّنَا نَدْفَعُ أَكْثَرَ مُقَابِلَ خِدْمَةٍ أَقَلَّ انْتِظَامًا.
نَبِيلٌ: أَتَفَهَّمُ ذَلِكَ. فِي مِيزَانِيَّتِنَا الْحَالِيَّةِ، تَبْلُغُ نَفَقَاتُ التَّشْغِيلِ مِائَةً وَعِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ وَحْدَةٍ سَنَوِيًّا. تَأْتِي ثَمَانُونَ أَلْفًا مِنْ رُسُومِ أَلْفَيْ أُسْرَةٍ، وَتَأْتِي أَرْبَعُونَ أَلْفًا مِنْ مِيزَانِيَّةِ الْبَلْدَةِ.
رَنَا: إِذَنْ نَبْدَأُ مِنْ مِيزَانِيَّةٍ مُتَوَازِنَةٍ. مَا الَّذِي يَتَغَيَّرُ فِي السَّنَةِ الْمُقْبِلَةِ؟ لَا يَكْفِي أَنْ نَذْكُرَ ارْتِفَاعَ الْأَسْعَارِ عُمُومًا؛ نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى الْبُنُودِ الَّتِي تَغَيَّرَتْ فِي هَذِهِ الْخِدْمَةِ.
سَلِيمٌ: وَفِي الْمُسَوَّدَةِ رَقْمٌ آخَرُ: أَرْبَعَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ أَلْفًا لِمَرْكَبَةٍ جَدِيدَةٍ. هَلْ هَذَا جُزْءٌ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ السَّنَوِيِّ، أَمْ نَفَقَةٌ تُدْفَعُ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً؟ لَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ تَمْيِيزَ الْأَمْرَيْنِ فِي الْجَدْوَلِ.
نَبِيلٌ: الْمَرْكَبَةُ مُمَوَّلَةٌ مِنْ صُنْدُوقِ الْمُعَدَّاتِ، وَلَيْسَتْ دَاخِلَ حِسَابِ الرَّسْمِ الْمُقْتَرَحِ. أَمَّا التَّشْغِيلُ فَسَيَبْلُغُ مِائَةً وَاثْنَيْنِ وَثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا: زِيَادَةُ الْعَقْدِ ثَمَانِيَةُ آلَافٍ، وَزِيَادَةُ تَكْلِفَةِ الْوَقُودِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ.
رَنَا: مَعَ بَقَاءِ مُسَاهَمَةِ الْبَلْدَةِ كَمَا هِيَ، نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ وَحْدَةٍ إِضَافِيَّةٍ. وَإِذَا وَزَّعْنَاهَا عَلَى الْأُسَرِ الْأَلْفَيْنِ، فَسَتَكُونُ الزِّيَادَةُ سِتَّ وَحْدَاتٍ لِكُلِّ أُسْرَةٍ، لَا ثَمَانِيَ وَحْدَاتٍ.
سَلِيمٌ: أَيُعْنِي ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الرَّسْمَ الَّذِي يَسُدُّ الْفَجْوَةَ هُوَ سِتٌّ وَأَرْبَعُونَ وَحْدَةً؟ لَا أَعْتَرِضُ عَلَى شَرْحِ التَّكَالِيفِ، لَكِنِّي أُرِيدُ مَعْرِفَةَ سَبَبِ الْفَرْقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُوصَفَ بِالضَّرُورَةِ.
نَبِيلٌ: نَعَمْ؛ أَضَفْتُ وَحْدَتَيْنِ لِكُلِّ أُسْرَةٍ لِتَكْوِينِ احْتِيَاطِيٍّ قَدْرُهُ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ. هَذَا اخْتِيَارٌ لِمُوَاجَهَةِ نَفَقَاتٍ غَيْرِ مُتَوَقَّعَةٍ، وَلَيْسَ فَاتُورَةً قَائِمَةً. كَانَ عَلَيَّ إِظْهَارُهُ بِصُورَةٍ مُنْفَصِلَةٍ فِي الْإِشْعَارِ.
رَنَا: لِلِاحْتِيَاطِيِّ حُجَّةٌ يُمْكِنُ مُنَاقَشَتُهَا، لَكِنَّ دَمْجَهُ فِي النَّفَقَاتِ الْمُؤَكَّدَةِ يُخْفِي مَجَالَ الِاخْتِيَارِ. وَيَنْبَغِي أَيْضًا أَنْ نُبَيِّنَ لِمَاذَا لَمْ نَطْلُبْ زِيَادَةَ مُسَاهَمَةِ الْبَلْدَةِ بَدَلًا مِنْ زِيَادَةِ الرَّسْمِ.
سَلِيمٌ: لَوْ قُلْتُمْ ذَلِكَ مُنْذُ الْبِدَايَةِ، لَاخْتَلَفَ النِّقَاشُ. وَمَعَ ذَلِكَ، فَشَفَافِيَّةُ الْحِسَابِ لَا تَعْنِي أَنَّ كُلَّ أُسْرَةٍ تَسْتَطِيعُ الدَّفْعَ؛ فَالْمَبْلَغُ الصَّغِيرُ لِأُسْرَةٍ قَدْ يَكُونُ عِبْئًا عَلَى أُخْرَى.
نَبِيلٌ: اِقْتَرَحْنَا التَّقْسِيطَ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ دَفَعَاتٍ، مَعَ بَقَاءِ الْمَجْمُوعِ نَفْسِهِ. وَأُدْرِكُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ يُخَفِّفُ ضَغْطَ مَوْعِدِ الدَّفْعِ، وَلَا يُخَفِّضُ الْعِبْءَ السَّنَوِيَّ لِمَنْ لَا يَكْفِيهِ دَخْلُهُ أَصْلًا.
رَنَا: فِي مِيزَانِيَّةِ الْبَلْدَةِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ غَيْرُ مُخَصَّصَةٍ، مُنْفَصِلَةٌ عَنِ الِاحْتِيَاطِيِّ الْمُقْتَرَحِ. يُمْكِنُ بَحْثُ اسْتِخْدَامِهَا لِتَخْفِيضِ رُسُومِ بَعْضِ الْأُسَرِ، لَكِنَّ الْمَجْلِسَ لَمْ يُوَافِقْ، وَلَمْ نُقَدِّرْ عَدَدَ الْمُسْتَفِيدِينَ.
سَلِيمٌ: أَرْجُو أَلَّا يُعْلَنَ التَّخْفِيضُ كَأَنَّهُ مُتَاحٌ قَبْلَ حَسْمِ شُرُوطِهِ وَتَمْوِيلِهِ. وَلَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ تَضْطَرَّ الْأُسْرَةُ إِلَى شَرْحِ ضِيقِهَا فِي اجْتِمَاعٍ عَامٍّ لِتَسْأَلَ عَنْ أَهْلِيَّتِهَا.
نَبِيلٌ: سَنَضَعُ قَنَاةً خَاصَّةً لِلِاسْتِفْسَارِ إِذَا أُقِرَّ التَّخْفِيضُ. أَمَّا تَأَخُّرُ الْجَمْعِ، فَقَدْ سَجَّلْنَا الشَّكْوَيَيْنِ، وَطَلَبْنَا مِنَ الْمُتَعَهِّدِ تَفْسِيرًا؛ فَزِيَادَةُ تَكْلِفَةِ الْعَقْدِ لَا تُعْفِيهِ مِنَ الْمَسْؤُولِيَّةِ.
رَنَا: هَلْ يَتَوَقَّعُ حِسَابُ الزِّيَادَةِ اسْتِرْدَادَ مَبَالِغَ مِنَ الْمُتَعَهِّدِ؟ أَسْأَلُ لِأَنَّ الْوَفْرَ الْمُحْتَمَلَ لَا يُسَاوِي مَوْرِدًا مُؤَكَّدًا، وَلَا يَصِحُّ أَنْ نَعِدَ بِخَفْضِ الرَّسْمِ اسْتِنَادًا إِلَى مُطَالَبَةٍ لَمْ تُحْسَمْ.
سَلِيمٌ: أُفَضِّلُ أَنْ تَنْشُرُوا مَا حَدَثَ لِلشَّكْوَى وَمَتَى سَيَأْتِي الرَّدُّ، بَدَلًا مِنْ وَعْدٍ بِتَعْوِيضٍ غَيْرِ مُؤَكَّدٍ. وَأَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مِعْيَارٍ أَفْهَمُ بِهِ مَا إِذَا تَحَسَّنَ انْتِظَامُ الْجَمْعِ فِعْلًا.
نَبِيلٌ: لَمْ نَخْصِمْ أَيَّ مَبْلَغٍ مُحْتَمَلٍ مِنَ التَّكَالِيفِ. وَسَأَنْشُرُ شَهْرِيًّا عَدَدَ الْجَوْلَاتِ الْمُتَأَخِّرَةِ إِلَى جَانِبِ مَجْمُوعِ الْجَوْلَاتِ؛ فَالْعَدَدُ وَحْدَهُ قَدْ يُضَلِّلُ إِذَا تَغَيَّرَ حَجْمُ الْخِدْمَةِ بَيْنَ شَهْرَيْنِ.
رَنَا: وَنَقَارِنُ فَتَرَاتٍ مُتَمَاثِلَةً، مَعَ شَرْحِ أَيِّ تَغْيِيرٍ فِي الْمَسَارَاتِ. لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَكُونَ شَرْحُ الزِّيَادَةِ مُنَاسَبَةً وَحِيدَةً لِنَشْرِ الْمَعْلُومَاتِ؛ فَالْمُتَابَعَةُ جُزْءٌ مِنَ الْمُسَاءَلَةِ عَنْ الْخِدْمَةِ.
سَلِيمٌ: هَلْ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ تَتَضَمَّنَ الْوَرَقَةُ الْجَدِيدَةُ جَدْوَلًا يُقَارِنُ الْوَضْعَ الْحَالِيَّ بِالْمُقْتَرَحِ؟ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ مَا يَتَغَيَّرُ وَمَا يَبْقَى، مِنْ دُونِ أَنْ أَجْمَعَ الْأَرْقَامَ مِنْ صَفَحَاتٍ مُتَفَرِّقَةٍ.
نَبِيلٌ: سَأُعِدُّ ذَلِكَ، وَأَسْحَبُ عِبَارَةَ الزِّيَادَةِ الضَّرُورِيَّةِ بِصِيغَتِهَا الْحَالِيَّةِ. سَأُوَضِّحُ فَجْوَةَ التَّشْغِيلِ، وَأَعْرِضُ الِاحْتِيَاطِيَّ كَخِيَارٍ مُسْتَقِلٍّ، وَأُؤَكِّدُ أَنَّ الْفَاتُورَةَ الْحَالِيَّةَ لَا تَتَغَيَّرُ بِهَذِهِ الْمُسَوَّدَةِ.
رَنَا: وَلَنْ أُصَوِّتَ عَلَى الرَّسْمِ الْجَدِيدِ قَبْلَ أَنْ نَرَى تَقْدِيرَ تَكْلِفَةِ التَّخْفِيضَاتِ وَبَدَائِلَ التَّمْوِيلِ. اُطْلُبْ مِنَ الْفَرِيقِ إِعْدَادَهَا خِلَالَ أُسْبُوعٍ، لِنُنَاقِشَ الْخِيَارَ عَلَى أَسَاسٍ وَاضِحٍ.
سَلِيمٌ: أَنَا لَا أَقُولُ إِنَّ التَّكَالِيفَ لَمْ تَرْتَفِعْ، وَلَا أَتَعَهَّدُ بِقَبُولِ سِتٍّ وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَحْدَةً. مَوْقِفِي أَنَّ صِحَّةَ الْحِسَابِ وَعَدَالَةَ تَوْزِيعِهِ سُؤَالَانِ مُخْتَلِفَانِ يَسْتَحِقُّ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمَا جَوَابًا.
نَبِيلٌ: هَذَا تَمْيِيزٌ مَشْرُوعٌ. سَأُرْسِلُ الْبَيَانَ الْمُصَحَّحَ غَدًا، وَأَضَعُ عَلَيْهِ بِوُضُوحٍ أَنَّهُ مُقْتَرَحٌ لِلسَّنَةِ الْمُقْبِلَةِ. وَسَتَظْهَرُ النَّفَقَةُ الْوَاحِدَةُ وَالتَّكَالِيفُ الْمُتَكَرِّرَةُ فِي قِسْمَيْنِ مُنْفَصِلَيْنِ تَجَنُّبًا لِلْخَلْطِ.
رَنَا: وَسَنَنْشُرُ مَوْعِدَ الْمُنَاقَشَةِ وَطَرِيقَةَ إِرْسَالِ الْمُلَاحَظَاتِ قَبْلَ التَّصْوِيتِ. لَمْ نَحْسِمِ الرَّقْمَ الْيَوْمَ، لَكِنَّنَا حَدَّدْنَا الْمَعْلُومَاتِ النَّاقِصَةَ الَّتِي يَجِبُ أَنْ تَسْبِقَ الْقَرَارَ وَالْوَعْدَ بِأَيِّ تَخْفِيضٍ.
سَلِيمٌ: سَأَنْقُلُ ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْجِيرَانِ: لَمْ تُقَرَّرْ زِيَادَةٌ حَتَّى الْآنَ، وَهُنَاكَ ضَغْطٌ مَالِيٌّ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مَعَالَجَةٍ. أَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونَ الرَّدُّ الْمُقْبِلُ بِهَذِهِ الدِّقَّةِ، حَتَّى لَوْ بَقِيَ بَعْضُنَا غَيْرَ مُقْتَنِعٍ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Nabil — service manager: We sent out a draft notice proposing to raise the annual waste-collection fee from forty units to forty-eight. We described the increase as necessary to continue the service, but the council has not approved it yet.
Rana — councillor: That is the first thing needing correction: a proposal is not a decision. Before discussing the figure, I want operating costs separated from equipment purchases, and an account of what the town budget covers.
Salim — resident: I understood the notice to mean I had to pay the new amount now. When collection was late twice in our street this month, it seemed we were paying more for a less reliable service.
Nabil — service manager: I understand. In our current budget, annual operating expenditure is one hundred and twenty thousand units. Eighty thousand comes from the fees paid by two thousand households, and forty thousand from the town budget.
Rana — councillor: So we start from a balanced budget. What changes next year? Mentioning generally rising prices is insufficient; we need the items that have changed for this particular service.
Salim — resident: There is another figure in the draft: twenty-four thousand for a new vehicle. Is this part of the annual shortfall, or a one-off expense? I could not distinguish the two in the table.
Nabil — service manager: The vehicle is funded from the equipment fund and is not included in the calculation of the proposed fee. Operating costs will reach one hundred and thirty-two thousand: the contract increase is eight thousand, and the fuel-cost increase is four thousand.
Rana — councillor: With the town contribution unchanged, we need an additional twelve thousand. If we divide that among the two thousand households, the increase will be six units per household, not eight.
Salim — resident: Does that mean the fee that closes the gap is forty-six units? I do not object to explaining costs, but I want to know the reason for the difference before it is described as necessary.
Nabil — service manager: Yes. I added two units per household to create a reserve of four thousand. That is a choice for meeting unexpected expenditure, not an existing bill. I should have shown it separately in the notice.
Rana — councillor: A case can be discussed for a reserve, but combining it with confirmed expenditure conceals the scope for choice. We should also explain why we have not sought an increased town contribution instead of raising the fee.
Salim — resident: Had you said that from the beginning, the discussion would have been different. Even so, transparent calculation does not mean every household can afford to pay; an amount that is small for one family may burden another.
Nabil — service manager: We proposed payment in four instalments, with the total unchanged. I realise that eases pressure around the payment date, without reducing the annual burden for someone whose income is already insufficient.
Rana — councillor: The town budget has four thousand unallocated units, separate from the proposed reserve. We could consider using them to reduce some households’ fees, but the council has not approved this and we have not estimated the number of beneficiaries.
Salim — resident: Please do not announce the reduction as available before its conditions and funding are settled. Nor do I want a household to have to explain its financial difficulties at a public meeting to ask about eligibility.
Nabil — service manager: We will provide a private enquiry channel if the reduction is approved. As for late collection, we have logged both complaints and requested an explanation from the contractor: a higher contract cost does not release them from responsibility.
Rana — councillor: Does the increase calculation anticipate recovering money from the contractor? I ask because possible savings are not confirmed income, and we should not promise a lower fee on the basis of an unresolved claim.
Salim — resident: I would prefer you to publish what happened to the complaint and when a response will come, rather than promise uncertain compensation. I also need a measure that lets me judge whether collection reliability has actually improved.
Nabil — service manager: We have not deducted any potential recovery from the costs. I will publish the number of late rounds each month alongside total rounds; the count alone could mislead if the scale of the service changes between months.
Rana — councillor: We should compare equivalent periods and explain any route changes. Explaining an increase should not be the only occasion for publishing information; follow-up is part of accountability for the service.
Salim — resident: Could the new sheet include a table comparing the current arrangement with the proposal? I want to know what changes and what stays the same without gathering the figures from scattered pages.
Nabil — service manager: I will prepare that and withdraw the current wording about a necessary increase. I will explain the operating gap, present the reserve as a separate option, and confirm that this draft does not change the current bill.
Rana — councillor: I will not vote on the new fee before we see an estimate of the cost of reductions and alternative funding options. Ask the team to prepare them within a week so we can discuss the choice on a clear basis.
Salim — resident: I am not saying costs have not risen, nor am I committing to accepting forty-six units. My position is that the accuracy of the calculation and the fairness of its distribution are two different questions, each deserving an answer.
Nabil — service manager: That is a legitimate distinction. I will send the corrected statement tomorrow and clearly label it as a proposal for next year. The one-off expense and recurring costs will appear in separate sections to avoid confusion.
Rana — councillor: We will publish the discussion date and how to submit comments before the vote. We have not settled the figure today, but we have identified the missing information that must precede both a decision and any promise of a reduction.
Salim — resident: I will pass that on to the neighbours: no increase has been decided now, and there is financial pressure that needs addressing. I hope the next response is this precise, even if some of us remain unconvinced.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| مُسَوَّدَةَ إِشْعَارٍ | a draft notice |
| نَفَقَاتُ التَّشْغِيلِ | operating expenditure |
| الْعَجْزِ السَّنَوِيِّ | the annual shortfall |
| صُنْدُوقِ الْمُعَدَّاتِ | the equipment fund |
| مُسَاهَمَةِ الْبَلْدَةِ | the town’s contribution |
| لِتَكْوِينِ احْتِيَاطِيٍّ | to create a reserve |
| مَجَالَ الِاخْتِيَارِ | the scope for choice |
| التَّقْسِيطَ | payment in instalments |
| عَنْ أَهْلِيَّتِهَا | about its eligibility |
| الْوَفْرَ الْمُحْتَمَلَ | the potential saving |
| الْجَوْلَاتِ الْمُتَأَخِّرَةِ | late collection rounds |
| التَّكَالِيفُ الْمُتَكَرِّرَةُ | recurring costs |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic conversation for evidence. Open the English question support or a hint when you need help.
What to remember
- Separate recurring operating costs, one-off purchases, and discretionary reserves when explaining a proposal.
- Distinguish clearer payment timing from a genuine reduction in the amount a household owes.
- Recognise that a sound calculation does not settle fairness, funding choices, or the status of a proposed decision.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
Lakinna and Lakin in Arabic: Two Patterns for But
لَكِنَّ دَمْجَهُ فِي النَّفَقَاتِ الْمُؤَكَّدَةِ يُخْفِي مَجَالَ الِاخْتِيَارِ
Use lakinna to qualify an argument: a reserve may have merit, but combining it with confirmed costs conceals a choice.
Fa in Arabic Conditional Sentences: When the Result Needs Fa
وَإِذَا وَزَّعْنَاهَا عَلَى الْأُسَرِ الْأَلْفَيْنِ، فَسَتَكُونُ الزِّيَادَةُ سِتَّ وَحْدَاتٍ لِكُلِّ أُسْرَةٍ
Notice fa introducing an idha result that begins with the future marker sa-.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّ الْوَفْرَ الْمُحْتَمَلَ لَا يُسَاوِي مَوْرِدًا مُؤَكَّدًا
Give the reason for asking a question with lianna followed by an accusative noun and its predicate.
