Who gave us the term "Free Trash"?

On November 16th, 2006 Mayor Ann Purzner posted on her personal website where she blamed Councilman Schneider and others for confusing the issue by using the term "Free Trash" (we can only assume that this was written by Mayor Purzner since it appears on her personal site and is not signed by or attributed to anyone else).

One tends to hear a lot of wild talk when some politicians start talking about your tax payer dollars. We all know how TAX & SPENDERS will say ANYTHING to get in your pocketbook.

Like the one about "FREE TRASH"...
...Well of course we all understand that nothing in this life is
free.

-These folks just love to use the term "FREE TRASH"
to confuse and muddle the issues.
Click here to hear Mr. Schneider

Well Mayor Purzner, you and your supporters should check again because your hypocrisy is showing.......again.

Back in June 2006, Overland residents were "treated" to propaganda littering their front yards. The Overland Watch "Newspaper" (AKA "the red rag") had a lot to say about "FREE TRASH" much of which was in quotes directly attributed to Mayor Ann Purzner and Councilman Knode. One of these references was even in a column that was entirely attributed to the Mayor. You can check for yourself at the link above.

For your review (note items quoted from other sources will appear in blue for easy reading):

The Overland Watch's front page has a yellow box directly under the Mayor's picture. What does it say in that box?:

Mayor Purzner’s Budget Asks For
Free Trash Pickup
Eliminate All Wasteful Spending
Decrease Overpaid Dept Heads Pay

That article goes on to say:

Mayor Purzner told the Overland Watch that restoring FREE trash pickups was one of her main priorities in this years budget.

And that article specifically quoted Mayor Purzner as saying:

I am going to ask this committee to do everything possible to return to the residents free trash pickup.

If these are inaccurate quotes then I assume the Mayor will be suing that paper? That might be difficult since she has stated in the past that she doesn't know who produced it (even though she later said she knew "they" (the people she does not know) were not in attendance at the July 10th, 2006 Council meeting when asked by a resident during the comments portion of the meeting).

Then there is the kicker, an article called "A Message To The Residents of Overland From Mayor Ann Purzner". We can only assume this was in fact written by Mayor Purzner since it is presented that way, and it's even "signed" with her name at the end. If she had ever protested this article or claimed it was not from her we might be able to give her the benefit of the doubt, but we have not seen that happen. In that article Mayor Ann Purzner says:

My goal is to restore free trash services

It should be noted that Mayor Purzner did not have all the fun. Councilman Knode is also quoted in that paper. In an "article" entitled "STRONG ARM TACTICS OR INSANITY AT CITY HALL" Councilman Knode is quoted as stating the following:

The money that the taxpayer pays for services should and will be returned to them in public services such as free trash service.

Interesting how those who created the term "FREE TRASH" and tried to use it for political gain now suddenly claim the use of it by others is wrong. Mayor Purzner and Councilman Knode clearly thought this was a proper term just a few months ago. I do not begrudge anyone a change of heart, but it is absurd for them to try to attribute this term to anyone other than themselves.

Now that everyone finally seems to agree that there is nothing FREE about the trash service maybe Mayor Purzner, Councilman Knode, and others will finally share with us the specifics of their trash collection plans. How is it funded? Are you planning to go with the Allied Waste Proposal you have already received that will REQUIRE residents pay $28.95 a quarter in addition to over $600,000.00 in City Funds? What services will we receive? Are we going to be restricted to 2 cans a week as has been rumored? How will you pay for this in the budgets to come (2007/2008, 2008/2009, etc)? Are you going to share with us this new proposal's planned annual increases to the residents fees? Are you going to follow the law and go out for bid on this service or are you just going to take a deal that was negotiated at non-disclosed locations by non-disclosed individuals?

In honor of Thanksgiving I am asking Mayor Purzner and Councilman Knode to start talking Turkey and give the Council, as well as the residents, the specifics of this plan. How they can expect anyone to support it without knowing what they are specifically proposing is beyond me. This is a serious issue that deserves serious consideration. Perhaps Mayor Purzner, Councilman Knode and others will finally treat it, and us, seriously.

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