EDITORIAL: Putting the cart before the horse with street sweeping

Several communities in The Observer’s readership area have made the irrational decision to restart the enforcement of street sweeping. And while we completely understand the need for streets to be cleaned — some are deplorable thanks to the laziness of those who keep discarding masks, gloves, etc., on streets — the reinstitution of enforcing the rules and regulations equates to putting the proverbial cart before the horse.

As of this very day, there is still a mandate, from the governor’s office, to stay at home. Very few businesses have been permitted to reopen. Children are still doing their coursework at home. For those still fortunate to have a job, many perform their duties at the house, not the office.

So let’s apply a little logic here.

Many people — in all towns — are staying at home, for a myriad of reasons.

And, in the towns we cover, parking is at a premium, almost universally.

So, on certain days, these towns that have un-suspended alternate-side-of-the-street parking regulations, have caused an incredible mess that is virtually impossible to rectify.

If people must move their vehicles for three, four, five hours at a time, where do the mayors who have reinstituted street sweeping expect people are going to go? When there is no street sweeping, there still aren’t enough parking spaces for the most part. Day or night. And so now, people who are expected to stay home are also expected to move their vehicles — somewhere, somehow — for hours at a time, with absolutely nowhere to put them?

Seriously? Seriously?

Yes, seriously! That’s the inane expectation.

The towns that have begun to enforce alternate-side regulations must rethink this. Once the governor gives the OK to go back to work — and the stay-at-home orders are eased or ended — go ahead and ticket people who don’t move their cars.

There would be little excuse not to by then.

But until the time comes where people aren’t required to be at home — or aren’t working or doing school work there — it is inherently unfair to be making people more crazed by forcing them to move their vehicles. Haven’t people here endured enough, as it is, already?

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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.