How will the Trash Saga Play Out?

Mayor Domenic Sarno recently took the unusual step of responding to a councilors letter of inquiry through a public release. Councilor Rosamarie Mazza-Moriarty send the mayor a letter asking specifics questions regarding the Mayor's proposed plan to implement a Pay as you Throw (PAYT) trash collection program.

Mayor Sarno actively and aggressively campaigned for Mayor using the elimination of the current $90 trash fee as one of his major platform issues. Now that he is the mayor, he realizes that the elimination of the trash fee will be fiscally hurtful to the city. As the Mayor stated on his press release, "However, five months in office have afforded me a much clearer and comprehensive understanding of the city’s fragile financial state. At this time, it is impossible for the City to absorb the cost of waste collection and disposal while responsibly addressing our top priority of public safety." Is Mayor Sarno admitting that he did not have a clear picture of the City's Financial stability while campaigning for Mayor?

To Mayor Sarno's credit, it appears that the new system will create the same revenue as the $90 trash fee currently in place. But let us not forget that the reason that we are in this trash mess, the reason that we, the common person is paying for trash collection, is in part to the irresponsible financial practices of past administrations which were plagued with corruption. Former Mayor Charlie Ryan, brought the city back on its feet. Former Mayor Ryan made unpopular decisions and stood his ground. It appears that Mayor Sarno is now borrowing the same stance as former Mayor Ryan. At the end, it could be argue that former Mayor Ryan's strong stance on the $90 trash fee contributed to his defeat. Is Mayor Sarno heading in the same path? Is Mayor Sarno, playing a political game announcing this controversial plan so early in his term in the hope that the people will forget come election day?

The people will decide.