New York Sanitation Workers Caught On Camera Giving Phony Tickets: Lawmakers

New York's finest may be well versed in the art of ticket-fixing and planting crack on the innocent, but sanitation workers?

Legislators are coming out against the city's sanitation department after a video surfaced allegedly revealing sanitation authorities issuing fraudulent tickets for violations people never committed.

Homeowner Monty Katz said he fell victim to such iffy sanitation work and told CBS, "I was appalled. If it was done to me, it was done to hundreds and hundreds of people out there who do not have video cameras and have to repay it because they don’t have any proof whatsoever."

Assemblyman Dov Hikind said that a violation could cost New Yorkers at least $100 per ticket and that such phony allegations "are nothing more than a money-maker for the city.”

During 2010's city-wide blizzard, the sanitation department was under investigation over claims accusing workers deliberately slowed down cleanup efforts in order to rake in overtime payment. A video (see below) was posted onto YouTube of sanitation workers allegedly taking an eleven-hour break at Dunkin Donuts with their snow plows parked outside.

City Councilman Dan Halloran said he had heard from three separate workers that their supervisors had directed them "to take off routes [and] not do the plowing of some of the major arteries in a timely manner. They were told to make the mayor pay for the layoffs, the reductions in rank for the supervisors, shrinking the rolls of the rank-and-file."

The New York Times reported that supervisors had also been angry with the Bloomberg administration over nearly 100 demotions throughout the department.

Comments

[NYCKitty]

12:53 PM on 02/29/2012

They should ticket Community Board 11 in the Bronx. The sidewalk and gutter are disgusting. I have complained and I'm told they will take care of it. Yet the don't. Everyone has to take care of the property in front of their home and business. Community Boards aren't exempt from this.

[voltage356]

01:16 PM on 02/28/2012

Wow, same thing happened to this guy.
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/investigative/sanitation-summons-20100506

[bunjmaster]

11:20 AM on 02/28/2012

HuffPo does a disservice by re-printing disproven information:
""City Councilman Dan Halloran said he had heard from three separate workers that their supervisors had directed them "to take off routes [and] not do the plowing of some of the major arteries in a timely manner. They were told to make the mayor pay for the layoffs, the reductions in rank for the supervisors, shrinking the rolls of the rank-and-file""

This was investigated as carrying no weight whatsoever. There was no coordinated slow down. As soon has the councilman was confronted he backpedaled.

Source:
http://www.dnainfo.com/20110114/manhattan/there-was-no-conspiracy-buried-under-all-that-snow

[corsair1917]

10:38 AM on 02/28/2012

Years ago I was harassed by a couple of Sanitation workers at a job I had. They seriously scared the daylights out of me. It was a teeny tiny office with three people - creating a half a bag of garbage a day - if that. One guy started screaming at me on the street about picking up "business" trash. Total shake down. Had to have a 'private' company (mob) pick up the trash. They never came. They never picked up "business" trash. Total con and I was terrified every time I saw these sanitation guys.

[frequentwind706]

03:39 PM on 02/28/2012

Are you trying to say that you put the garbage from your office out on the curb for Sanitation pickup? Or put it in a corner trash bin? That is against the law in NYC. Aside from screaming at you, the Sanitation workers were correct; you did have to contact a private carting company to get your garbage picked up.

[corsair1917]

06:02 PM on 02/28/2012

We put it where the building told us to in the compactor room where they were put in big industrial bags. Screaming at me on the street and saying "who the heII did I think I was putting the trash there?" I said I didn't and I was simply an employee. The private company never came. They took a check... total shake down.

[themiddleistheproblem]

09:59 AM on 02/28/2012

Bloomberg is a shadey as they get.

[Brooklynindy]

10:45 AM on 02/28/2012

That's too facile. Bloomberg gives more to charities than any other U.S. citizen, don't know where he stands worldwide.

His anti-smoking efforts have spread around the world, saving lives. The anti-transfat crusade likewise has extended throughoug the country. His "rainy day fund" established when the city was posting surpluses (and the councilpersons were screaming, "Spend it!") has saved the city from much more massive layoffs during this economic crisis.

For the record, I did not vote for him for this last term because I was disgusted by his crude power grab. But I have to give credit where it's due.

[themiddleistheproblem]

11:16 AM on 02/28/2012

He's a neocon. Charity has nothing to do with spying on whole communities, buying a third term, or detaining reporters. The Koch brothers donate quite a bit too. That doen't make a good person.

[Brooklynindy]

10:46 AM on 02/28/2012

Excuse the typos.

[FOXYROSE]

09:14 AM on 02/28/2012

One word - UNIONS.

[Lazy American]

09:10 AM on 02/28/2012

Union workers getting paid, but not actually working - preposterous!!!! Why if it were up to me each and every one of them would immediately be suspended WITH pay! BtW that's called vacation to most people.

[basshawgnc]

08:32 AM on 02/28/2012

This can't be costing citizens anymore than the tens of thousands of illegal immigrants that probably live in NYC.

[fredimessina]

09:51 AM on 02/28/2012

and the unicorns. Don't forget them.

[fnlook4]

08:22 AM on 02/28/2012

Another case of the 99% sticking it to other members of the 99%..

[bobymac]

08:34 AM on 02/28/2012

apples and oranges

[adamben]

11:03 AM on 02/28/2012

apparently you weren't living in nyc during that snow storm. several people died because the ambulance couldn't get to them over the unplowed roads. luckily i loaded up on supplies since everything was impassable, unlike other years; the one thing rudy did that i agreed with.

[bobymac]

08:14 PM on 02/28/2012

No I was not there, I guess I just didn't understand what the 99% had to do with it??

[MorpheusXNYC]

01:10 AM on 02/28/2012

One of their snowploughs side swiped the front of my parked car and smashed the left front tire, shattering my left front axle and tearing out a chunk of my front bumper. Since there was no video of the plough hit-and-running me, I wound up having to shell out $1500 out of pocket after the insurance covered repairs.

Thanks, sanitation dept....

[iLoveOldNY]

12:27 AM on 02/28/2012

The department of health does the same thing.

You are more likely to be shaken down for money in NYC than you are likely to receive help from a city employee.

They treat you like a mark. It is beyond abusive.

[keezze]

10:36 PM on 02/27/2012

They are sorry and will impruve

[Joey Blau]

09:10 PM on 02/27/2012

He was challenged at the time. had nothing. he was asked to provide evidence under oath.. whoops a no-show.

also he lied to get in. promised to be a pagan and once elected ran to the Catholic Church to kiss their ring(s).

This man is a liar and most likely a thief.

[Joey Blau]

09:08 PM on 02/27/2012

"City Councilman Dan Halloran said he had heard from three separate workers that their supervisors had directed them "to take off routes [and] not do the plowing of some of the major arteries in a timely manner. They were told to make the mayor pay for the layoffs, the reductions in rank for the supervisors, shrinking the rolls of the rank-and-file"

yes nice try but he was proven a liar. no evidence. fake informers. absolutely made up.

WHY RUN THESE LIES?

[wjleitold]

12:11 AM on 02/28/2012

We are ruled over not served by the state in New York City; welcome to the unacountable bureaucracy of the welfare state. There are still those who think limited government is a crackpot right wing idea. Clearly they've not seen New York City. Clearly big city Unions are clients of the Democrats not the GOP.

[frequentwind706]

03:41 PM on 02/28/2012

What does your rant have to do with the poster's point: that Halloran's claim of a coordinated work slowdown was found to be absolutely devoid of evidence by the city's Department of Investigation?

[ZC1968]

07:07 PM on 02/27/2012

NYC is a crooked place. I am not shocked the NYC sanitation department is taking part in fraud. They are dirty than trash they pick up from gutters of NYC. Scam Artist!

[adamben]

11:05 AM on 02/28/2012

regretfully, all cities have this, they are just more open about it in nyc.