Socialized Trash Hauling Derailed – For Now
December 20th, 2008
A few months ago I heard that the august leaders of Gwinnett County, GA (where I live) had decided that we’re all too stupid to decide for ourselves who we want hauling our trash. In an effort to assist us with our daily lives, they decided that they would administer all trash hauling in unincorporated Gwinnett themselves, with every homeowner being forced to abandon their current haulers and use the one appointed to them by the county. Do you believe that crap?
I have received two bills from my new county-mandated hauler, which I haven’t paid yet. And I’m glad I haven’t paid them. In a moment of sanity, Judge Michael Clark has issued an injunction to stop the program, leaving the existing haulers in place until a formal hearing can be held. Two of the ousted haulers have alleged that the county overstepped its authority and that the contracts are illegal. Whatever the reason, this next step towards total government control of our lives has at least been delayed, if only for a little while. Every story I’ve read about this has called it the county’s “controversial” plan, yet I haven’t heard much about it on the local media. What I do know is that the county had no meetings or announcements about the plan before it was finalized. When something like this is done by government in secret, you know it’s bad news.
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The only word you need to know to explain all this: Kick-back.
Only one part of the consolidated plan every made any sense — why send four different garbage trucks into every neighborhood every week? It burns a lot of fuel. Then again, the haulers added a “fuel surcharge” on to my last bill, even though fuel prices are about 1/3 of what they were in September. I wonder if I’ll get a “fuel surcharge” credit on my next bill. (Yeah, not likely)
Utilities are an area where having monopolies makes some level of sense — it avoids duplication of infrastructure. Of course, a few years ago our Georgia legislature introduced natural gas marketing companies — indicating as to how it was going to save consumers money. I’m still waiting. Why the lawmakers missed was that no one needs to have natural gas “marketed” to them. I’d love to be dealing directly with Atlanta Gas light again….
I agree with you that the natural gas “deregulation” in GA was stupid. There’s only one company that has the gas and owns the pipes, so they should be the ones selling it. Trash hauling is different. Multiple companies have trucks and I should have the right to contract with whichever one will give me the best deal.