Mayor Fenty may soon have fewer people to do his dirty work.
His proposed 2011 budget includes cuts to several popular cleanup initiatives in the District. That includes eliminating 39 positions in the Solid Waste Enforcement and Education Program and reducing 57 positions in street and alley cleaning, according to the Washington Examiner.
City leaders insist the cuts will not affect the District’s cleanliness, but some community groups aren’t so sure. That’s especially the case in neighborhoods where residents fear their streets will suffer.
“If DPW crews are going to be cut back then we’re going to have a lot of unhappy voters,” Alex Padro, executive director of Shaw Main Streets, told the Examiner.
Some local lawmakers say the cuts could make their streets more than just dirty; they could make them more dangerous.
“When neighborhoods are clean, they’re safe,” D.C. Councilman Kwame Brown said. “It’s a basic function of government, to make sure we’re safe, the roads are working and the streets are clean.”
