Satisfied Taxpayer

Last Friday I made my bi-weekly run to the local solid waste center in the town of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. A light rain was falling that morning, and many other people had chosen that cloudy day to do the same thing. As I had little pressing business that morning, I took my time sorting out my stuff: burnable trash, glass, cardboard, mixed paper, newspaper, tin cans, aluminum cans, plastics, two used automobile oil filters, and a broken VCR/DVD player.

After a few minutes, I asked one of the five employees that run the operation where to put the broken VCR/DVD player. He asked to see it, and concluded that, because it was mostly plastic and not metal, it should go in a certain bin. He was courteous and helpful about this, and his professionalism made me pay attention to the questions other people were asking that morning: Where do I put this used propane tank? Is there a place for used batteries? Can I get rid of my bald truck tires here? I'm not sure what to do with these fluorescent bulbs? Do you accept old roof shingles?

Each question was answered with a courteous and helpful set of directions from an operator or attendant, workers employed by the town, with salaries supported by taxpayers like you and me.

As I drove away in my cleaner smelling, less cluttered station wagon, I thought, "What a nice surprise. My tax dollars support an operation where 5000 tons of material are recycled annually by courteous employees who get the job done in an efficient, cost-effective manner."

I wonder why all government employees, in particular, members of the United States House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, cannot do the same thing? "The name of the game," an old friend used to say, "is Get the job done. Do it right. Be kind and respectful of your fellow workers. Be a team player."

I look forward to a return of civility in our government, a time when more energy will be focused on getting a good job done rather than blocking the pathway toward progress. We all should live up to the same standard: Finish what we pledged to do. Do it right. Respect fellow workers. Strive for team goals.

Funny what you can learn by going to the Solid Waste Center.