« Letter to the Editor: "Garbage Police" »

I received an email from a reader yesterday that I felt needed to be brought to the attention of Buzz readers as well as Gwinnett residents overall.  RSU 1138 (the reader has asked that he be identified publically as such, a reference to the film THX 1138, in order to protect his privacy) paints a bleak picture of government intrusion in our routine daily lives.

With Republican Commissioners like ours, who needs Democrats? Go [here] and read the ordinance that becomes effective January 1. We now have jackbooted garbage police, compliments of Gestapo Clean and Beautiful. Let's say it's now 2009. You're going out to eat and it's garbage night. It's about 6:30 pm, so you go ahead and roll the bins out so you won't forget. You leave. The garbage police come by at 6:45 pm and issue a citation for $500. You're a willful violator if you put your bins out before 7:00 pm. This is actually in there. Look at pages 14, 31 and 32.

Oh, and recycling is now mandatory. So if a child or guest throws a steel or aluminum can in the regular garbage, you're subject to another $500 fine. How will the garbage police know? They will sift through your garbage, of course. What other way is there to ensure compliance?

This is an indescribably outrageous violation of our constitutional rights by government fiat. Someone complained that there were too many garbage trucks and there was some illegal dumping. The commissioners said Hey, we can fix that! We'll just take away your freedom and violate your rights because you're all a bunch of mindless, spineless, self-indulgent idiots. We don't expect anyone to resist.

Someone besides me needs to resist. We now have nothing to say about who will pick up our trash, how they will do it, and how much it will cost. What other rights are these petty tyrants planning to rip away from us while we sleep? If I didn't have to run my own business, I'd devote myself to organizing a recall campaign to throw all 5 of these bums out of office.

- RSU 1138

(RSU = Residential Service Unit, page 10. You are no longer a customer. The word "customer" does not appear in the document. That speaks volumes.)

I have verified that the points regarding the earliest time for placing your trash cans at the curb, the mandatory recycling, and the fines are accurate.  I agree with RSU 1138 that this program is a gross violation of freedom of choice, a point I have been making here on the Buzz for some time.  To be fair, I would note that I do not know if the current waste ordinance has provisions for the times during which collection bins can be at the curb or whether there are provisions for fines.  If so, could the language in the new ordinance be there only "if needed" and would not be actively enforced in a manner as depicted in the letter?  Even if so, the existance of regulations that permit such government intrusion in our lives is disturbing.  The ordinance does declare that, once you place your trash at the collection point, it becomes the property of Gwinnett County.  There goes any claim of privacy against government snooping in your trash without probable cause (if such a claim even exists now).  The letter writer is warranted in his charge against the brand of Republicans on the Gwinnett commission.  The reason I have been a lifelong Republican is a desire for smaller and limited government.  Does Gwinnett's socialized garbage seem like small or limited government to you?  I see this as just more evidence that, especially on a local level, many Republicans are far from conservative.  The reasons for this, however, are a matter for a separate post on a different day.

This ordinance is far worse than even I grasped when I first learned of it.  I stress again that this is what happens when you do not pay attention to what your government is doing.  Our commissioners have completely disrespected their constituents.  Each one that supported this ordinance should be voted out.  Lorraine Green is gone but, unfortunately, Mike Beaudreau and Charles Bannister were just reelected.  However, Kevin Kenerly's district is on the 2010 ballot and he should face vigorous Republican primary opposition from a true conservative.  (Bert Nasuti is shown as being absent the night the ordinance was considered and did not vote.  He should be pressed on where he stands on this ordinance in his 2010 race.)  All of the current commissioners who will continue on in office next year should be held accountable for this local manifestation of big government intrustion in our lives.  If you are not happy about this, speak up!  Be vocal.  Let your commissioner, Charles Bannister and Connie Wiggins know.  There have been several Buzz readers that have expressed a desire to pursue some action, though what form that might take, is unclear.  However, follow the Buzz for coverage for any community efforts to make our displeasure with socialized garbage be known loud and clear to the Gang of Five in Lawrenceville.

Comments

[JD]

Wow, I'm reading the ordinance and it feels like I just joined a HOA. I can't put out my garbage can prior to 7pm...are you kidding me! Next thing you know, I'll need to make sure my grass never exceeds 2.2143 inches and that I shouldn't have planted that rose bush within 14" of the mailbox post. I think I might take Mike up on his "Meetings with Mike" on 12/13 and see what he has to say face to face. Hopefully he won't try and give me too much of a run around. This is ridiculous.

[Gwinnett Buzz » Blog Arc]

[...] Letter to the Editor: “Garbage Police” [...]