Vallone, Jr.: garbage scofflaw

From the Daily News:

Former Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. was among thousands of New Yorkers slapped with up to $300 in fines for a little-known violation — dragging trash out to the curb too early.

Sanitation agents have issued a staggering 13,841 fines all across the city in the past six months — simply for taking the trash out too soon, according to city records.

“The city should have made this one of the violations they warn you about first — both for people who are unaware of the law and for people like me who on one occasion wasn’t going to be home at 4 p.m.,” Vallone told the Daily News.

With the exception of winter months, when trash can be taken outside after 4 p.m., property owners and landlords are expected to keep garbage inside until after 5 p.m. in order to reduce the amount of time the trash sits out in the open, according to the city’s Administrative Code.

The rule is in place to avoid cans from being blown over onto sidewalks. And it also prevents a passerby from dropping garbage onto the outdoor heaps.

The fines range from $100 for a first offense to $300 for repeat offenders, but many of them never pay, records show.

In 2012, the city issued nearly $3.6 million in fines, but only about $2 million has been paid thus far, according to the Environmental Control Board, an administrative court charged with handling such sanitation cases.

In 2013, the city imposed nearly $3 million in fines, including late fees, but only $1.5 million has been paid.

It doesn't look like he's planning to go away anytime soon...