Re: OT: St. Jude Dream HomeOne woman filed a lawsuit because residents are charged the monthly tax even
if they don't put out trash (some people live in warmer climates several
months of the year). I don't agree we've been spoiled, but believe other
municipalities have not received what they pay taxes for. In fact, I'm so
old I can remember when the trash collectors actually came into our yard to
pick up the cans so we didn't have to carry them to the curb. He isn't much
of a leader in making a better city if all he can do is copy what other
places are doing.
It may cut down on union wages and Worker Comp claims, but it won't cut down
on the amount of money the mayor spends. Wonder how long it will take to
make back $20 million dollars set-up fee (new trucks and new containers). I
went to his web site yesterday and he again used his recurring theme that it
will make the city more attractive . . . like the big black patches on our
concrete streets are attractive. He wants bike paths, but won't fix the
sidewalks so we can take healthy walks in our own neighborhood. He is a
disaster waiting to take this city down with him. Last time I took my
morning walk on trash day (nosey me) I noticed what was in the open bins as
I passed. One had nothing in it but beer and vodka bottles. I won't quit
buying bottled juice or canned fruit and vegetables (fresh or frozen are not
on a dialysis diet) or the newspaper or cereal in boxes, so recycling isn't
going to change my buying habits or make less waste.
I've never met anyone so arrogant in my life. His wife's son got arrested
in a little burg not far from here and they went to visit him. Of course,
they chose to go after visiting hours and thankfully their police said he
would have to come back during regular visiting hours. His response, "I'm
the mayor of Toledo" didn't to him a bit of good. He also takes his dog to
work with him even though no one else is allowed to. The building
management just folded on that one. (He doesn't even walk the dog, but has
a salaried employee do it for him). A high-ranking employee was caught
using foul language to (I think) a reporter and was suspended without pay
for one or two weeks. Our mayor has a mouth worse than a stevedore, uses
foul language in public all the time, but he's never been suspended.
Actually, they forgot to pick up recycling materials yesterday. The cans
(one for cans/bottles, one for paper) are still sitting out there and if
they think I'm hauling them back to my yard they're nuts. We can get fined
if our cans are set out before the "legal" time the night before pickup; 5
p.m. in the winter, 7 p.m. in the summer (another "Let's make Toledo
beautiful" ploy). If I get a ticket the first thing I'm going to do is call
a newspaper reporter. If I fall and break a hip this winter trying to
navigate these huge containers, who on earth is going to take care of my
husband . . . it won't be our illustrious (or crazy) mayor.
While I was the city website, I found the button for e-mail and told him
what I think of his leadership, behavior, and the way he spends our money.
Will it do any good? No, but it made me feel better to tell him that, if he
were my son, I'd be ashamed of his behavior as mayor of Toledo.
.
"Marsha" <mas@xeb,net > wrote in message news:g0ij54$2lm$3@news.datemas.de...
> Toledo's trash collectors are city employees with a union. That's the
> problem in a nutshell. Their contract says they get paid for an 8-hour
> day, even though most finish their route in 4 hours. Then the mayor
> decided to charge extra for trash pickup, even for those who recycle,
> although that's a lesser charge. Despite the fact that this service is
> supposedly paid for through taxes. I can't believe there hasn't been a
> serious backlash against this crap. I do agree that Toledo residents have
> been spoiled with unlimited pickup for so many years, compared to other
> municipalities. The automated collection trucks do have big advantages.
> It will cut down on union wages (the mayor said no one would lose their
> job - the workers will be offered other city jobs, but it's hard to
> imagine what else a trash collector might be qualified for). It will also
> cut down the Workers Compensation claims. Hopefully it will make people
> see they waste a lot. We are a family of two and we barely have more than
> one bag a week. But, like Phyllis said, no one thought of older or
> disabled residents trying to move a 96-gallon container to the curb. The
> containers will also be a hot comodity on the theft market.
>
> Marsha/Ohio
>