Snow Plowing Could Be Next Privatized Service

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Sep 4, 2009 5:20PM

We did a lot of complaining and moaning about snow plowing - or, rather, the lack thereof - this past winter. And we weren't alone. The Mayor's reasoning: they didn't have the money to pay for the overtime for the unions. Eventually, the Mayor relented. Now, Daley's looking to cut out that problem altogether. Aldermen were alerted by Daley's aides today that the Mayor is going to start soliciting bids from private companies for a contract to plow the city's streets. Regardless of what you think about privatizing city services, color us scared to death about this one. Given the horrendous transition on the parking meter hand-off, we can't imagine how badly the city will be paralyzed if this item comes to pass and they screw it up again.