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NEW ORLEANS - District "D" Councilmember Jared Brossett has released the following statement in response to recent comments by the Cantrell Administration in regards to citywide trash collection issues:
"My office receives several calls daily with complaints regarding trash pick-up, and I know we are not the only ones. Usually collected twice weekly; many of my constituents haven’t had their trash picked up in over a week, with some reporting almost two weeks since their last trash pick-up. This is entirely unacceptable, and as the problem grows, it is getting harder and harder to get back on schedule.
Approximately $15 million has been collected for the City of New Orleans by the Sewerage and Water Board from residents via a sanitation fee. Despite receiving subpar service for six months, the payment has still been collected. Sanitation is a basic need of our people, and it is our responsibility to ensure this need is met. This is our issue to address. It is not only an inconvenience but now has escalated to a public health issue, which is why I'm bringing forward a common-sense ordinance that mandates a one-time suspension of monthly sanitation charges for August 2021.
A one-month credit for services that were not rendered is only fair to constituents. It’s unfair to create a false narrative that giving a one-month sanitation credit and increasing the living wage will exacerbate the existing problem. Doing both is the right thing to do, which is why I'm also introducing legislation to raise the minimum wage for all City employees to $15/hr.
I remain strongly committed to waiving the sanitation fee for the month of August, and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting these ordinances and the residents of New Orleans. This is not an either-or situation. It’s an obligation. And for the Cantrell Administration to claim otherwise speaks volumes regarding their priorities.
We need to be focused on the more prevalent issues affecting our city, like crime and infrastructure, not trash. New Orleans deserves better, its people deserve better, and it’s our responsibility to get the ball rolling."
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