|
Scare Tactics About Recycling are Politically Motivated
To the Editor:
I am quite concerned about the panic brought on with emails, letters to the editor and general gossip by Seth Gallagher and John Plummer regarding the county recycling program and how the "evil" Vinny Tamagna was about to drown our children in a heap of used plastic water bottles (which, in my opinion should be banned, period.)
I checked with my good friend Walt Thompson, coordinator for recycling in Putnam County and he was quite clear to me about the facts as he knows them through the legislature:
1. The recycling program was never going to be cancelled and no state laws were ever going to be broken. 2. For budgetary purposes, the legislature discussed ways to make the program more accessible, convenient, and efficient. 3. Curbside recycling and household hazardous waste clean-up days were never going to be cancelled. 4. The school recycling education program has always been a priority for Legislator Tamagna and has been positively discussed by him throughout the budget process. 5. Legislator Tamagna's proposal (only a proposal) was to give western Putnam County $30,000 to create local satellite support programs for recycling. These recycled materials would then be taken to the main recycling collection point in Carmel. This way Philipstown people would not have to individually dump their trash in Carmel. 6. Partnership with the PARC litter patrol program was always intended to be funded and supported.
It is sad when politically motivated people such as Gallagher and Plummer use scare tactics to win political favor especially when these scare tactics involve the threat of harming the children. Shame on you. You guys sound like the politicians in Washington.
All said, the proof is in the final vote which was taken on October 9th where the legislature unanimously agreed to continue the Recycling Program and is restructuring the internal management of the program, which includes putting my friend Walt Thompson in charge.
Tom Rolston
Cold Spring
| 
