It seems to me that Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is going out of her way to cut many of the programs that much of the city actually cares about.
First, the mayor threatened to cut the Fourth of July fireworks, a display that much of the city cherishes each year. Now, The Sun is reporting that bulk trash pick-up is on the chopping block.
As part of her plan to make up a $121 million budget deficit, SRB is proposing eliminating the service, which would net a savings of $1.1 million. Unless something changes during City Hall budget deliberations, bulk pickup will be a memory come June 30, the paper reports.
Believe me, I sympathize with the mayor, who is faced with the daunting task of cutting programs or raising taxes. Neither one of those options are pleasant, especially politically. But you can't tell me there isn't somewhere else in the government to find that $1.1 million. I have plenty of friends and acquaintances who work for the city, and stories they tell me prove the bureaucracy is ripe with waste.
I have used the bulk trash pick-up service on several occasions, and unlike many city services, it's gone off without a hitch each time. I simply filed my request online via the 311 system, and I received an email with my pick-up date. The date came, and the junk went. Simple as that. I even got an email once from someone in the department asking if the pick-up went smoothly.
Bulk trash pick-up is that rarest of bird: a city service that actually works. The mayor should spare it.
Comments
Agreed, I’ve had nothing short of fantastic experiences using this service. It would be a shame to lose it. At the very least, the staff who run and maintain the program should kept. I’m sure there’s some dead weight around that needs replacing.
It would be a shame to lose bulk trash. I too have only had good experiences with the program.