Mayor Bob Diebold would like us to believe he can create public wealth at no charge to citizens. Just give him whatever he asks in the category of individual rights and he’ll take care of us. Behold: Newark Ohio’s very own Magic Nanny.
It is not surprising therefore that he has again presented for approval one of his pet projects: a monopolized trash-hauling system licensed by the city. Each time in the past citizens have overwhelmingly opposed this idea. But, like a teenager growing pimples, Diebold keeps it always just under the surface or on top and neither rational thought nor explanation works as defense.
Diebold’s determination to limit free enterprise among trash haulers has been now framed as “win-win” in the 1/11/10 Advocate report. This is because, Diebold says, “The city could charge an administration fee to manage the trash contract and fund the property maintenance department, and residents still would save money.”
Here’s what I wrote about citizen reaction on 5/1/08:
In spite of the wonderfulness of this proposal as presented by the Advocate, lots of on-line readers thought otherwise. Such reaction should be enough to end any discussion, even if were only the comment by "paul" who said, in part, "Without exception when competition is removed or governmentally controlled, price fixing, gouging and general rate abuse is imminent." If you don't think he's right, just consider cable TV and how its evolved under its city contracts.
Nothing has changed since then, but the Advocate reporter bought it, since no balance was offered. Apparently the Advocate reporter does not know the history of Magic Nanny Diebold’s promises for great things to come of his other “money-making” schemes for which citizens pay dearly.
Take, for one, “billing of insurance companies” for rides to the hospital in city trucks manned by city employees, a shell game he pushed time and time again until it became reality while he was still a councilman. This won’t cost citizens anything, only insurance companies, he said in his sales pitch. This turned out to be a multi-million-dollar scam which is costing - and will cost - citizens dearly forevermore, most likely. Read the shake-out of it here: Riding to the hospital with your city employees: Bend over taxpayer ...
Consider another of Magic Nanny Diebold’s miracle solutions for the ever-short-on-cash Newark Ohio. This was the rise in cost of driving by $10 per vehicle per year, tacked to the purchase of auto licenses. This was sold as the absolute only way we could ever maintain our streets decently. I suspect that most of this (by switching lanes in the underground labyrinths of the treasury) went to our employees because there is no noticeable improvement in street repair or maintenance and much whining about having no money for much of anything and least of all those projects important to Newark taxpayers.
So now this same mayor - whose term can’t be over soon enough - would have us believe that the city would be richer - and the prices to residents would be lower - if the Magic Nanny were permitted to select and license for all citizens a single trash hauler.
If Diebold’s plan gets implemented, here’s a prediction. I predict that citizens will have absolutely no meaningful input regarding which of the haulers is given a Newark monopoly. I predict that the contract will be awarded to the company - Big O Refuse - that is managed locally by the son of Newark Councilman Don Ellington. Not that there’s anything wrong with that company, and I’m not accusing anybody of anything illegal but, if I were betting, that would be my pick.
For a review of the performance of Bob Diebold, and how the Magic Nanny rides roughshod over citizens go to this link Then go to it again before you vote for a mayor.
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What I don't understand is that there is no real problem with the current companies hauling trash.
ReplyDeleteThey have tried to manufacture a problem by claiming that trucks are running all of the time and wasting energy to pick up trash. The last I checked those trucks pay a huge amount in taxes and fees to retain that privilege. If that is a legit argument then all trucking should be done with one company to ensure that no tracks are retraced in the delivery of everything right?
This will put hard-working competitive companies out of work. Sure, it will go to the lowest bidder and most likely the lowest bidder will know exactly how to find out what that number is. Then over time, there will be no competition and Big O, I mean the winning company, will always have the contract. It's a sham.
Mark - Excellent comments. It’s a non-problem to begin with, so why is the Magic Nanny running so hard to “solve” it? Reading between the lines of what I wrote might give you a clue, but that clue could be incorrect. The other thing about the government’s process is that bids are awarded to the “lowest and best” bidders. That means they don’t have to award it to the low bidder because “best” can mean anything the bureaucrats say.
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