Madison Trying To Limit Leaf Pick-Up Service….And My Thoughts

First let me state the view from the City Of Madison.  My response follows.

The City of Madison is kicking off a new program to encourage Madison residents to manage leaves on their property. The program, called Leave the Leaf, is designed to reduce phosphorus runoff from leaves, improve the quality of area soil and lawns, and reduce the need for more leaf collection trucks and staff.

The 20th Century attitude towards leaves was that once they fell they created lawn litter and had to be removed. It’s a new day, and time for some new thinking. It is time to view leaves as an asset that can be used to improve your lawn and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. Leaves also make great mulch, garden cover or rich compost.

Here is what I think of this bone-headed idea, and why.

We just might demand from the city that they provide the services, such as leaf pick-up, that we pay for as taxpayers. I do not like the city trying to play the green card because they waste money on others things and then cut back on the bread and butter items that a city should provide to the citizens.  Basic city services are the very things, when not delivered, that can take out mayors and others at election time. Some might want to ponder that fact.  (Are you listening, Dave?)

I do not want the city moaning about staff time and costs while thinking my lawn should look like crap with leaves, or to have my neighbor think it is OK not to rake and have his/her leaves blow all season onto my lawn. I do not work hard all year on my lawn and flower beds to have it look trashy all fall with leaves because the city can not get their budget  to add up so to provide basic city services.

I will rake my leaves and pile them as always.   That will not change.  If the city can not put together a better time-table to alert the city about pick up that will be their problem.   But my leaves will be piled, along with those from the street that I also rake up so they do not go into the gutter.  I pay my city taxes and reject this crazy notion that city services should be cut at a time when there seems like plenty of cash is around for motel construction.

We are so in need of an election in this city and as soon as the fall mid-terms are over I am ready to line up behind some new leadership for Madison.  I have really had it with this current team.