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Massena resident questions latest spring clean-up practice

Posted 2/19/24

To the Editor:

With yet another revamping of the “Spring” clean-up practices by our Village Trustees...one wonders what the meaning of “Public Services” really is, do we …

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Massena resident questions latest spring clean-up practice

Posted

To the Editor:

With yet another revamping of the “Spring” clean-up practices by our Village Trustees...one wonders what the meaning of “Public Services” really is, do we even have any anymore, and more to the point...why we taxpayers continue to fund such and get less or nothing in return. 

Let’s be transparent here. First we used to have two, not one “seasonal” clean-up days.  Second, both were curbside pick-ups. And third, there were few limitations on material that would be picked-up.   

Then, we lost the fall pick-up. Then we lost the “spring” curbside pick-up.  In lieu of, we were mailed two “self-serve” vouchers and a massive “do not” list of ineligible items. Now our self-serve “spring” clean-up has been moved to August, and we must now personally pick-up and attest for our single self-serve voucher. 

Yet has anyone seen an equitable reduction in assessments or taxes? Quite to the contrary – both keep rising. Our Village Trustees continue to finger point to either limited resources, external cost increases, or both.   

Do they even consider that we the taxpayers face similar constraints? That many of us do not have either the physical capacity or resources to self-serve. What about the added cost it places on our already limited finances, partially limited by continuing increases in our assessments and taxes? 

I thought the discussion and consideration of having an every other year “curbside” pick-up had merit and was a significant middle ground compromise to address what we have historically lost. To my dismay, our Village Trustees once again failed to properly recognize and address the needs of our taxpaying populace.   

Instead we are now left with an even more burdensome Walmart styled “self-checkout” process in which it appears the only spring clean-up responsibility of our Village Trustees is checking your tax receipt to insure you’ve paid for everything you’re not getting. 

Robert Elsner
Massena