Six "America's Dirtiest Cities" Mayors Up for 2013 Re-election

Online, February 27, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Several leading Mayors of America's "dirtiest" governments--noted for allowing high volumes of un-removed, illegal solid wastes on their public spaces--are up for re-election this year, according to Steve Spacek, author of the "American State Litter Scorecard" and a Washington, D.C.-based Government Performance Consultant.

An analysis of "America's Dirtiest Cities," featured in last September's TRAVEL+LEISURE, discusses unsanitary public space conditions illegally allowed in certain major cities. "Dirtiest City" urban leaders have "...seemingly done little or nothing--just a terrible job, at removing longstanding debris and rubbish along their tax-paid roads, streets, sidewalks and parks," Spacek said.

Six top "Dirtiest City" officials desiring re-election this year include Micheal Bloomberg of New York, Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Kasim Reed of Atlanta, A. C. Wharton of Memphis, Tomas Regalado of Miami and Annise Parker of Houston. Top "Dirtiest City" Mayors not facing an election this year are Mitch Landrieu (New Orleans), Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (Baltimore), Michael Nutter (Philadelphia) and Mike Rawlings (Dallas).

Spacek noted that illegal littering and dumping breeds diseases and unwanted vermin that creates harm to nature, animals and landscapes. He also said that over 800 Americans are killed each year in vehicle collisions with unremoved debris on the nation's streets and highways.

Spacek commented that cities deemed "Dirtiest" by the magazine were compiled from a poll of participating readers and citizen residents from the annual "America's Favorite Cities" Survey, of 35 prominent metropolitan destinations. This survey provides "a realistic picture, positive or negative, of environmental circumstances citizens and registered voters in America's biggest cities should know about."