Re: E-M:/ Trash-O-Meter

[RRRASOC@aol.com]

Mr. Diehl,

What's wrong with demagoguery?!  Have you ever read, oh I don't know... Plato?  Start there and work your way through to 21st century political theory literature.

For the record, I've raised serious questions on these matters for a number of years now and have yet to get much of a rational response, if any from the likes of the MEC.  For example, attached is a working paper I put together that addresses many concerns regarding the surcharge issue.  The response from James Clift when I forwarded it to him for comment last year was, to paraphrase, "we don't care."  Sort of a "don't bother me with the facts" response.

Never once have I said or written that I was happy with waste imports or against a surcharge.  I have, however, repeatedly argued that the policy solutions that have been proposed via legislation over that past several years have been poorly constructed and largely arbitrary.

Certainly I am NOT the most qualified to judge what's legitimate environmental protection but I most certainly CAN differentiate between sound public policy analysis and most of the stuff that passes for such in Lansing.  Neither I nor the people I work for are "threatened" by the trash-o-meter.  We just think its silly.  We'd rather see a more scholarly approach taken to public policy but perhaps that's too much to expect from folks who see nothing wrong with a little demagoguery.

Mike





Michael J. Csapo
General Manager
Resource Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County
20000 W. Eight Mile Rd.
Southfield, MI 48075
(248) 208-2270
(248) 208-2273 fax
www.RRRASOC.org