Editor, The News:
Re: Pitt Meadows to collect garbage every second week (The News, May 15).
Pitt Meadows will collect trash biweekly to wither costs of waste management while encouraging us to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Considering the new rules, after July 4, are not a bad idea. But with services reduced to every two weeks, will we see 50 per cent less costs per home with waste removal fees in our property taxes?
Or does city hall expect to slag us with the full fee under this campaign?
Check 2014 property taxes, city slickers – savings should go both ways.
We should reduce waste in our home as with city hall, such as the money spent on more than 900 letters to those who signed the tax petition.
Hypocrisy, at best.
Why not reduce waste like municipal staff shopping for a sponsored family at Christmas while being paid. Do it on your own time, not while your time card is punched.
It’s like having paid firefighters soliciting donations for the burn unit – another good cause – while volunteers could do it to free.
The same with policing. Why do we need four police officers at traffic radar stops?
As one letter to the editor recently said: why nine Mounties at an oral presentation to council?
Would you see three cashiers at a till or many employees at a single bank teller booth? No.
So why are we paying for mismanagement and poor judgment so some can dawdle instead of work for their big bucks. Does that not constitute a form of waste that needs to be reduced, just like trash?
Reduction in waste is not only garbage collection. Where do we get supervisors from?
Instead of a costly groundskeeper house off Bonson Road Park at $270,000, plus annual operating costs, why not put brighter lights and surveillance cameras, just like in other crime areas?
What the hell, they don’t care, we pay for it.
Yet we have missing city property decorative trees – previously vandalized and broken – along south Bonson road that have not been replaced in a year. Stumps are an ugly eyesore. Is there no funds for a few lousy trees?
But we have cash for useless ideas or lethargy in paid government workers.
We should protect our environment. And there is too much trash.
But why not use foresight to limit waste like ineffective police resources, to provide a better bang for our bucks.
Sending 900 letters to residents was a waste. Their rebuttal comments could have been published on the city’s website or local newspapers for much cheaper.
How much did it cost for the 900 letters? We tighten our belts while politics and professional services at all levels act like hypocrites and spend like goofs.
Demand a reduction in your 2014 trash collection taxes. It’s fair.
Armand Tavish
Pitt Meadows