Kelly Ferguson is living in a fantasy world. Her statement that my Dec 3 letter misrepresents several aspects of trash and recycling programs used by Menlo Park's residents and businesses is blatantly and knowingly false. I did not even talk about any aspect of the recycling program. That was a sheer fabrication on the part of Kelly Ferguson.
The point I made is that when Kelly Ferguson was asked by a local newspaper about the proposed 24% increase in rates her reply was that increased fees are just the cost of a clean environment. Her reply lent credibility to the 24% increase question. In her Guest Opinion piece she said what she should have said to the Post reporter before she got "foot in mouth" disease. That is "Menlo Park sets the rates; Allied does not". Had she not procrastinated until her Guest Opinion Piece to salvage her contretemps she would have been fine. But Ferguson could not resist appealing to her "Far Left" consituency who carry the banner of "The Sky is the Limit on the cost of a clean environment". Ferguson does not care how much it will cost Menlo Park residents as long as she can stay in favor with the unions and radical left environmentalists. Everyone wants a clean environment. But we want accountability and value for our money. And we most certainly do not want to write a blank check as Ferguson wants us to do. The Council majority is on a dangerous path that will quickly erode our reserves and put our bond rating in serious jeopardy. We can't afford to let Menlo Park become another Vallejo.

"Our trash rates are among the lowest in the Bay Area, just $5.64 per month for a 20-gallon can, with free recycling."


Dream On