Correia eliminates unpopular “pay as you throw” trash bag, says it’s not a campaign move
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — Facing a recall election, troubled Mayor Jasiel Correia made a lot of people in Fall River happy today eliminating the very unpopular pay as you throw garbage bags.
The timing is very interesting and the City Council President and his recall opponents think this is just an obvious desperate attempt to save his job.
Despite the timing, Mayor Correia says this is not a political announcement. He says he’s tried to eliminate these purple bags in the past but didn’t. Now his opponents in the recall election wonder why this wasn’t done sooner.
In the midst of federal charges against him and the looming recall election, embattled Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia called a press conference without giving the topic.
“Certainly a good media turnout to get some very important news out there today,” he said at the start of the event.
Correia touted the city’s financial success over the last 3 years and then surprised everyone, especially the City Council President, when he announced he’s doing away with the controversial pay as you throw garbage bags, clearly pleasing his cheering supporters.
Despite the timing, the mayor said this was not a political event.
“There’s a political outcome to every single decision any mayor makes,” says Correia.
That was an even tougher sell after a Fall River resident he asked to speak about the benefits of eliminating the bags, Sue Mathias, started by saying this, “I am voting no on the recall and yes for Jasiel Correia to continue as our mayor.”
With the recall election on the horizon, Correia’s opponents see it much differently.
“It’s clearly a desperate political move. I think acting unilaterally and putting the city council on the defense is the reason why we have so much gridlock right now,” says Erica Scott-Pacheco.
“He had over 500 days to do this and he could’ve done it any day along the way but he chose now, which is his right as the mayor I’m not questioning that, but it does make people think twice,” adds Paul Coogan.
Correia already canceled the contract with the company and is asking the city council to get rid of the ordinance on the books. The City Council President says they were completely blindsided by this and he’s looking forward to hearing about the plans to replace the $2 million in revenue the purple bags brought in.
Correia did say that taxes would be increasing.
© WLNE/ABC 6 2019
