Herb,
With all due respect, I believe you are misinformed and your numbers are out of date.
When I was on the LC we were told by our experts (the folks Jeff relies on) that 0% of the glass in single stream gets recycled, and it contaminates others commodities, making them less desirable for these markets. Sorted glass however is 100% recycled. There was a program to remove glass, but it was unsuccessful. Plastics are often listed as "recycled," but many end up as trash in 3rd world countries since China has stopped taking it. There are several articles about this. 2022 Boston Globe "Plastic Recycling is a Myth" for example.
Single Stream Recycling actually became more expensive than garbage, creating an incentive to dump it as garbage or reject the loads (a complaint of the local haulers.) This has been documented on the record by Jen from HRRA and in state papers like the CT Mirror, again I can send you articles on the subject.
If the goal is to recycle as much of our waste as possible, sorted recycling has far more efficacy than single stream, and a relatively smaller increase in sorted would offset changes in curbside and be a net positive for the environment.
Time caught up with us, approving budgets that didn't even keep pace with inflation. Its time to pay for our delayed tax increased. If we don't we'll face any even worst increase enxt year.
I see you object to my use of the word mob. May I ask if you attended any of the warehouse discussions over the past few years? The disrespectful behavior—the shouting, the veiled threats, the outright hostility—from some of my neighbors has been disgraceful. Frankly, I’m ashamed to call them my neighbors. When the mob stops acting like a mob, I’ll gladly stop referring to them as a NIMBY mob.
One thing I’ve always found ironic about the Horse Guard—setting aside any real practicality of their current role—is that they are actually the second Horse Guard. Yes, the state of Connecticut funds not just one but two official Horse Guards. The first was established in 1788, but by 1808, it was apparently decided that one wasn’t enough, so a second was chartered.
Fast forward to around 1930, when 60% of American families owned a car, and it seems like we missed a prime opportunity to reconsider the necessity of these units. At this point, I think the Horse Guard should be welcome to continue using State property—if they can fund it themselves through private means. Otherwise, it’s time to stop subsidizing their hobby.
