Editorial: New garbage cans might look trashy, but aren’t all bad

‘ ‘ ‘ Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s office has used $252,500 from state grant money to buy 250 trash… ‘ ‘ ‘ Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s office has used $252,500 from state grant money to buy 250 trash cans at a price of $1,010 apiece. Each one will carry the slogan ‘Taking Care of Business,’ in reference to his business-district beautification plan of the same name, along with his name and title on a black-and-gold sign, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. ‘ ‘ ‘ Our first question obviously must be: Why won’t the signs say Luke Steelerstahl? ‘ ‘ ‘ But all kidding aside, the plan does have its merits. The Taking Care of Business campaign does sweeps through different business districts around the city, doing things like issuing citations for properties not up to code, repainting road lines and providing the area with new signs, bike racks and garbage cans. ‘ ‘ ‘ The program differs from the late Mayor Bob O’Connor’s Redd Up program in that it only deals with business districts, not neighborhoods, not to mention Ravenstahl’s own program didn’t start until after O’Connor’s tenure. ‘ ‘ ‘ So, as a part of the Taking Care of Business program, it’s difficult to argue with. Providing garbage cans is a good way to reduce litter rates and to make an area look nicer in general. ‘ ‘ ‘ Perhaps the most stinging part of the plan is the price tag, with each garbage can costing taxpayers $1,010. In a Tribune-Review interview, store owner Marc Adams said, ‘Holy mackarel … I would have put them out there for $900 apiece.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ But when considering that these cans will be a semi-permanent part of the area and will have to withstand years of abuse from weather and everyday usage, it justifies the extra spending. If the city is going to replace old trash cans, it’s better that it spend a little more to buy ones that will last rather than cheap ones that will need to be replaced in five years. ‘ ‘ ‘ And as for Ravenstahl putting his name on the receptacles, well, why not? He certainly isn’t the first U.S. mayor to put his name on a part of his own project ‘mdash; previous Pittsburgh mayors have had their names on trash cans, buildings and programs for years. ‘ ‘ ‘ Sure, the timing seems a little auspicious for Ravenstahl ‘mdash; with an election coming up in May, it certainly would be nice to have 250 taxpayer-funded campaign signs scattered around the city promoting his name and providing direct evidence of his programs restoring the community. ‘ ‘ ‘ Critics have said that the cans are a sneaky way for Ravenstahl to’ promote himself and that the taxpayers shouldn’t have to fund what is basically self-promotion. But Public Works operations manager Ben Carlise said that the cans are better quality than many of the ones on the streets now, and that the placards bearing Ravenstahl’s name didn’t cost any extra money. ‘ ‘ ‘ So even if they appear to be a little self-congratulatory, and even though they might seem expensive, the truth is that this is simply a mayor trying to brand his work in the city. And if that work is of a good nature, serves a legitimate purpose for the community and doesn’t harm anyone while it’s doing so, why should we complain?