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Sharon's vision of a PMUA-less Plainfield. (from the Washington Post) |
Her image came to mind when I saw the annual 'Peeps' slideshow on the Washington Post site (see slide show here).
I hope it doesn't put you off the chewy little marshmallow critters!
- WashPost: "Peeps Show VI"
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11 comments:
Cute! The marshmallows, not the vision. I find it interesting that such a strong view of rats infested and trashed streets is given by some if PMUA was gone. There is no attempt, that I know of, to take a look at how the city has changed since the days of a trashy, rat infested Plainfield. Much has changed since then and the changes have not been solely because of PMUA or local politicians, nope; changes have been made because many of us are taking pride in our properties, our streets, our corners, and even our public spaces. PMUA needs to be reformed, if not, then dissolved. Plainfield can, and will, manage trash with or without PMUA just fine.
Thanks Maria! Having lived here BEFORE the PMUA I can testify the city was NOT overrun with rats. The Mayor and Vera Greaves are over-exaggerating just to give people the heebie-jeebies. It's nothing but a scare tactic.
If the city was in charge of solid waste, wouldn't that mean property owners could not fire carters as they did in the old days? Wouldn't they have to be covered either by the city plan or an authorized opt-out plan?
Yup. It is a scare tactic indeed. The PMUA doesn't do anything different than how most cities handle trash collection. The City should have a sanitation department. What they can't handle, they could put out for competitive bid. The PMUA is a bloated entity who doesn't live up to its mission of providing high quality... at a reasonable rate... If they can't shape up, tell them to ship out!
For the mayor to think that the employees she oversees can't do a better job is telling. It either shows her incompetence or the fact that some employed by the city are only there because they are connected - OR BOTH!
I have to agree with Dan. I've lived here for over 30 years now and don't ever remember a rat problem, unless it was the person in the mayor's office in city hall. I guess Sharon only thinks people will listen to her if she makes wildly inaccruate and alarming statements. We haven't in the past, so I don't think we will now. Everyone have a nice holiday.
The rats are the ones running the city. What can we do to get rid of them?? I have only been here for a short time compared to many of the lifers here, but I have NEVER seen a rat in Plainfield.
Given the fact that many have suggested for trash collection to be taken over by the City, I find it comical that the Mayor has such little confidence in her ability to keep the rats at bay. I think she should be more worried about the human rats she surrounds herself with than the animal kind. Perhaps if she stopped worrying about what Rebecca Williams is doing, she would have time to make sure trash is collected.
In addition to the ridiculous image of rats overrunning our city, those who like to fearmonger completely ignore the fact that the attitudes toward the environment are different, attitudes about recycling have changed, the laws have changed, enforcement and strategies for enforcement (surveillance, etc.) are effective and so on.
The state requires a study be done--with legal, financial, and engineering entities--that will go to the local finance board. Those who use outlandish images to manipulate the public about what the city could look like by making comparisons to NYC during a garbage strike from more than 40 years ago are not interested in true reform or in helping the ratepayers. The people of Plainfield will see right through these stalling tactics. The people of Plainfield want reform--the study will tell the local finance board whether dissolution is necessary.
Rebecca
I recall when the PMUA was just being formed and they stated that they would not only keep our city clean they would also sell their services at the transfer station to other local comunities thus reducing all residential rates to a 10th of what the rates are now. IF the city becomes the one to collect our trash it will just be with a reborn PMUA. Recall most of the original management of the PMUA came from the Cities Public works department. I've lived in Plainfield for 49 year. There are are more pressing issues then trash.
Worse comes to worse people can always up their garbage in the dumpster behind City Hall.
I was one of the people who opposed the creation of the PUMA before it was approved by the Council--and my opposition was based on one simple reason: as long as the city provided these services, the cost was part of our property tax, which was at least in part deductible from our income tax. Nobody. including me, anticipated at that time what kind of monster the administrative/executive structure would become.
The front-line people are terrific and do a great job. But just think of how much money we have all been losing because of that lost income-tax deduction over the last 15 years or so--it's mind-boggling!
City Council and Mayor, please act rationally and give us taxpayers a break--bring back those services and hire those front-line staffers so that we may once more get the income-tax deduction, and please hire the acting executive director to run the operation! He appears to be working to clean up the mess and we should give him a chance.
As for the "settlement" with the departing top brass, it is in my view morally reprehensible both in the amount agreed to and in the backhanded way it was done.
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