New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo states he is ready to dispatch the National Guard into New York City to help pick up the trash piling up on streets and sidewalks after receiving complaints to his office about the garbage stacking up.
What We Know:
- The pandemic’s economic effects have resulted in a $25 million cut from the Sanitation Department’s budget in July. This resulted in a 60% cutback in the pickups of public wastebaskets. Baskets were being emptied every day pre-pandemic. As of now, that possibly only happens three times a week.
- After receiving many residents’ complaints, Cuomo stated that he does not know what is going in New York City. Still, if the sanitation department cannot pick it up, he mentions that he has offered to have the national guard sent it to pick up the garbage.
- The governor’s offer came two weeks after the Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, revealed a plan to improve trash pickup and reduce trash on streets by reinstating 65 weekly litter-basket trucks in 27 neighborhoods. De Blasio responded in part to business leaders’ complaints that quality-of-life issues are discouraging workers from going back to the office, which is a key to economic improvements.
- Cuomo also mentioned that the state can bring in trucks, personnel, and clean up the city. He believes that would be important. This is a public health pandemic. He stated on Tuesday that they have made millions of gallons of hand sanitizer, right? Cleanliness matters.
“If the New York City Department of Sanitation and resources can’t do it for one reason or another, I can deploy the National Guard; we’ll come in. I understand there is a higher level because people are staying at home, but in this environment, we don’t need people complaining about the cleanliness of the city.”
The comments are the latest reprimand of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s operation of city services. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have had a long ongoing feud.
