Suburban garbage lessons for Chicago
By Dennis Byrne,
March 31, 2010 at 10:22 am
More and more suburbs are turning to private haulers to pick up their garbage, the Tribune reports. The private haulers, the towns believe, are more efficient and environmentally friendly. With fewer pick-ups, for example, the town reduces its carbon footprint.
Makes sense. But not in Chicago.
The city continues to be in the garbage hauling business, although there is nothing written anywhere that it has to be a municipal service provided by government workers. Chicago has more men manning its trucks than do many suburbs, so, right there is an example of an inefficiency that Chicago continues–thanks to organized labor pressure.
On the other hand, Mayor Richard M. Daley, if he had an opportunity, probably would sell the garbage franchise rights for the next century to some outfit that would immediately jack up prices. And Daley would spend the 100-years of revenues in five years to balance the city budget, which he has done with other asset sales.
Ain’t it grand living in such a screwed-up city.
Filed under:
Chicago politics
Tags:
ARC Disposal Co., Arlington Heights, Chicago, garbage, Glencoe, mayor, Mount Prospect, privatize, Richard Daley, Rolling Meadows, Skokie, suburbs, Waste Management
Being a city servent oyu don't have a clue to the ineptness of oir leaders.Our motto,as sad as this is,there is never time to do it right but always time to do it twice.The leadership in our department leaves us shaking our heads almost on a daley(sp)basis. If people only knew how their money was wasted they would be out front of city hall with torches and pitchforks.