'It's just not fair,' says North End resident on hook for stolen garbage carts
Mary Anne Clarke drives her trash to her daughter's house because she can't afford to replace the garbage and recycling carts that have been stolen from her Mountain Avenue home.
"It's just not fair," Clarke said. "It's not fair at all."
She doesn't have the nearly $200 she needs to get her garbage service back, she said.
"I'm on education leave from my employment. I'm trying to help society through my education and as a result, I simply don't have extra money, at all."
She doesn't know when she'll have enough money to replace the carts and she's worried her garbage situation will get out of hand.
"If I was the only one going through this I'd suck it up, but everybody is being put into this position. It isn't fair," she said.
'Penalizing the victims'
Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie said he sympathizes -- his recycling and garbage carts were stolen and he had to pay for new ones.
The thefts have become a major issue in recent months, Eadie said.
"If it's people who can't afford it, they are the victims. Why are we penalizing the victims for our new garbage system? I don't understand why we have to victimize the victim, and keep doing that."
As long as residents follow the rules when using their garbage and recycling carts, the city should pay for new ones when they're stolen, he said.
"The theft isn't at the point where half the carts are missing. It's not a huge financial burden," he said. "It's a drop in the bucket."
A report on stolen carts will be brought forward to the Water and Waste Committee on June 29.
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