Isn't it interesting how these discussions veer off on tangents? Trash hauling was just an example of the root thread, but here we are off and running, and I want to veer off again. We moved to St. Paul 15 years ago. We were surprised that we'd have to pay for trash collection (part of Mpls. city services at that time) especially because taxes weren't lower. Then we learned that we owed a neighborhood contribution for the lighting in the alley and another for plowing the alley. None of that was true in Mpls, though I don't know if it is now. By the way, these neighborhood cooperative plans work fine; when the noble souls who've handled the money-collection move, their responsibility is passed on to someone else (or even inherited with the house!).
Like Tom, we like our mom& pop hauler. Their incredible patience with some of my backyard gardening excavations has been a big help. We tip when the load is especially tough and we remember to leave a thank-you bonus at holiday time. But I want them to make union wage! I've been a member of several unions over my lifetime, including a couple of "associations" that were managers' unions in disguise. But there seems to be a lot of resentment toward city/county employees over their cushy wage and retirement deals. I recall Coleman trying to change the retirement benefits of police and firefighters (I could have the particular unions wrong). So my question is this: do our city and county employees make unusually high wages and retire with unusually generous health and pension benefits? Is this a can of worms I should just leave alone? Gail O'Hare St. Paul _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
