An interesting bit, shows that Rahm’s not just another pretty face:

(1) Establish a “benchmark” price per ton after comparing the cost of collecting Chicago’s 1 million tons of annual garbage to costs in 10 major cities.

(2) Give the city’s 1,142-strong, $173.7 million-a-year refuse-collection army a chance to generate the savings necessary to meet those benchmarks.

(3) Switch from a ward-by-ward to a grid or zone system of collecting garbage if Phase Two doesn’t work.

(4) And, if all else fails, implement a “managed competition” between city employees and private companies to achieve savings.

(Full story here.)

My complaint?  It’s a fine plan, but it’s also politics as usual.

Let’s face the facts, how long does it really take to establish a baseline price?  If it’s more than a 20 minute phone call to Waste Management or Onyx then it’s taking too long.

But we all know how this is really going to go.  The Union will high-ball the number and preach all kinds of doom-and-gloom about snow plowing.  The city will counter, and back-and-forth and round-and-round it will go and then magically, over steaks at Gibson’s a deal will be struck.

I say we accept 1 through 3 and inevitable and get right on to Number 4.  Find out what a private contractor will bid for the job and let the union compete.  Whole process should take a few weeks and immediately save the taxpayers millions.