You know, we may yet fail in our goals (we’ll send you a note for your “I told you so” collection), but if we do it will be because we will have failed to engage the thousands of New Yorkers who are struggling with this problem. Not because the city and its political institutions and administrative agencies would prefer to pretend that this problem will go away on its own, since we know full well that that is their default position, and frankly, once you take a close look at the challenges, you understand why this is so, but our hope is that if people start to see what is possible and start to demand action, in sufficient numbers, then there will be change.

What is clear is that, absent the advent of a cheap control method that can be widely deployed–and we’re told there is no such thing on the horizon–it’s either this or… in a couple of years, there will be substantial numbers of bed bugs in the city, in all types of dwellings and businesses, in theaters and public transportation, making achieving control much, much harder. The reputational cost to the city will be significant.

Thanks for the kind words, I think.

I have no contempt for you, your group or the idea of political action. What astounds me is that the very group whose blog proved to me just how unwilling the City Council is to do what other cities have already done still wants the City to do it. That your group does not seek any alternative.

A lot of nonprofits get city contracts to run homeless shelters and group homes, counseling for newly former inmates and other services that are cheaper for the city to outsource rather than pay City employees to perform. While a government-established bed bug task force is probably the best solution for New York, what should New Yorkers do when City Hall has refused to establish such a task force after two years of hundreds of bed bug complaints? I’ll try to keep this reply as snark-free as possible.

You really think the city’s politicians give a damn about the needs and desires of their constituents? Right now, the City Council and Mayor are wetting their collective pants over whether or not to overturn term limits, even after the taxpayers voted twice in a public referendum that term limits should remain unaltered. A bed bug task force is the last thing on their minds right now, as they are only concerned about their own future careers.

I’d love to know what others think of this issue also, which is the main reason I decided to discuss this with you on your blog rather than via e-mail. Unfortunately, you and I seem to be the only ones who have weighed in on this issue. I even brought up the issue on Bugged Out, with no response whatsoever.

City Hall has become somewhat of a lame duck on new issues such as a bed bug task force, and is usually slow to come around. Try to think of other things-public goods-that exist in other cities but not ours…you won’t have to think for too long.

If you want a great example of how lame New York government can be, I’ll give you five words….Ground Zero, seven years later.

When it comes to “renaming” street corners after the dead 9/11 firefighters and cops who lived there, the City cannot act quick enough. But build something-anything-on Ground Zero to show the world that we as New Yorkers and Americans have overcome that tragic day? Nothing but endless squabbling between a dysfunctional city government, a dysfunctional state government, and half-assed oversight from a federal government run by an idiot from Texas who thought Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11.

Who knows how many years will pass until the City Council pulls its head out of its ass and decides to really address this city’s bed bug problem?

I really do wish I lived in a city where letter writing camapigns and petitions actually meant something to city leaders, but I don’t. I live in New York City, and so do you.

As a native New Yorker, I am embarrassed that our city has done little to nothing to help New Yorkers suffering from bed bugs. We wouldn’t even be having this discussion if a bed bug task force existed.

But if such a task force existed (public, private, public/private partnership), I’d certainly want someone as passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable about the issues as you to be a part of it.

Then there is the performance aspect of your comments. You could have emailed me and started a dialogue with me privately. But you chose to do it this way. Good faith, you know… you know it when you see it.

We want open debate. I posted your full comment without a substantive reply because a) it got a rise out of me (but that is what you intended, is it not?) and b) I wanted to see if others wanted to engage with it. No takers. I don’t know what people are thinking. Perhaps they think you are right. I certainly would like to know that.

I’m not knocking small donations for a worthy cause. I’m knocking the idea of a private task force funded by solicitations when there is no hope that it can achieve what needs to be done. How is a private entity to, just to give an example, take out the bedbug trash? It says to me that you and I have different ideas about what the problems are and the possible solutions.

I’m certainly willing to start over with you, without the snark and ill-will. But it will take at least a show of good faith from you. As it is now, seems to me you want to just… kill us. I am, not surprisingly, sensitive about something like that, as I’ve put everything into this project. And we have already survived a few setbacks so, you know, we’re not about to quit now just because you disapprove.

I will start by responding to your comment in the way that I would have expected you to offer it. However, it may take me a few days to dial down the anger and whatnot. Just saying, I’m only human.

I wasn’t trying to talk down to you, but after re-reading my last comment, I can see how you came to that conclusion. Sorry about that.

You should probably file a City Hall-funded bed bug task force under “Never gonna happen” as well. In all honesty, I never had so little faith in the New York City Council until I began reading your blog. It’s so depressing and discouraging how the City Council and various City agencies pretend to care while municipal governments in other cities are light years ahead of us.

One of your most recent entries flat out states that the Dept. of Health is resisting pressure to address the City’s bed bug infestation. I don’t understand what City Hall does not get about the bed bug problem in New York City. Aren’t they embarrassed that other cities are successfully accomplishing something that could be easily copied here, but isn’t? It shows where their real priorities are, or more specifically, where they aren’t.

If New York City is going to slam us with tax after tax after tax and fee after fee, the absolute least they can do is serve the public. Taxation without representation; no big deal, right? It’s only the the main reason this country was founded!

I love the short abstract retorts you give me, Renee. Am I not worth responding to? What about urging Brooklynites to petition their local Community Boards and Borough President to establish a boroughwide bed bug task force, or at least petitioning the Community Boards to establish a bed bug committee within their own Boards?

Thanks to your blog, I gave up waiting for City Hall to do anything about New York’s bed bug problem a long time ago. I was a bit cynical before, but I have you to thank for opening my eyes and showing me that other. less dysfunctional city legislatures are fully capable of accomplishing that which seems damn near impossible in this town. I know I can’t be the only one who feels this way, and it’s ridiculous for you to assume other New Yorkers with bed bugs are still clamoring for our indifferent and corrupt City leaders to step in and help.

I guess you want to play the waiting game, huh? Not me. I want action, not two years from now. NOW. And don’t knock small donations: it worked for Obama. Keep it up with the useless letter writing campaign, I’m sure the Council staffers have as much fun deleting them as you do writing them.