SHOULD KANSAS CITY POLITICOS CONSIDER WATER DEPARTMENT PRIVATIZATION RATHER THAN RAISING TAXES & DEBT?!?!
For months we've reported on the prospect of Kansas City Water Department privatization.
Now other news orgs are starting to pick up on this behind the scenes discussion.
THE FACT IS THAT KANSAS CITY WOULD HAVE TO BORROW AND SPEND ITSELF INTO OBLIVION TO REPAIR OUR OLD AND BUSTED WATER & SEWER SYSTEM!!!
There just isn't enough money to borrow and tax in order to do the job. What's worse is that this strategy attacks the interests of the urban core more than any other local interest.
Still . . .
THERE ISN'T ANY KANSAS CITY LEADER WITH THE GUTS TO STEP UP AND EVEN DISCUSSION THE MANY PROPOSITIONS REGARDING WATER DEPT. RESTRUCTURING . . . MAYOR SLY WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT YOU!!!
The strategy of more taxes and debt to fix Kansas City's broken system is questionable at best.
Meanwhile . . . KC is still waiting for the "bold leadership" that was interested in compromise that we heard about during campaign season.
And exactly how will a privately run Water Department pay for new sewers and supply lines?
ReplyDeleteHint: Check your water bill.
No privatization! The people will get screwed even more!
ReplyDeletePrivatize, but first let me buy stock in the company. I don't live in KCMO but would sure like to get rich off of it like all the other city hall insiders.
ReplyDeleteNone of the "leaders" in KCMO have the guts to say no to much of anybody.
ReplyDeleteNew faces, but the same old insiders, same old pouring money into downtown, same old east side extortionists working the system, and same old lack of accountability for results for the residents.
And soon we'll have the same old "consultants" being paid big money to lie and scare the voters into approving another round of tax scams.
A city that works.
Just not for you.
6/7/12 7:45 AM is right but possibly to obtuse for this readership.
ReplyDeleteWhen you privatize a public utility, you grant stockholders of a corporation to coerce payments from customers with the power of taxation -- not a good idea.
What "privitization" really means is "cartelization" or "monopolization" but those last two terms are not as warm and fuzzy as "privatize."
Tony has been sucking Terry Riley's dick again, so now Tony has to promote granting a monopoly to Terry's lobbying client.
Yes, Terry you are lobbying the city and have been for some time and you should go to jail for it.
How can a for-profit company take over a service that faces huge financial liablities and make money -- while still providing a public service?
ReplyDeleteNope, it cannot be done. We are being set up.
Sell the airport instead. Their revenue does not benefit the city at all.
ReplyDelete6/7/12 9:34 AM
ReplyDeleteAnd the planes crashes are more likely to hit Northland neighborhoods that would be no great loss.
Go for it!
Bridgette Williams is now whoring for the Heavies... look out Local 500 you are about to get screwed.
ReplyDelete"How can a for-profit company take over a service that faces huge financial liablities and make money"
ReplyDeleteFor one thing they fire workers who sleep on the job. Secondly they don't allow themselves to be a dumping ground for incompetent employees. I don't know if privatization is the answer but even the worst private company can do better than KCMO at providing almost any service.
I'm not sure how someone talks about a comment being too obtuse for the readership and then uses words like"cartelization", but both posters are right.
ReplyDeleteSame old insider deals at 12th and Oak.
And the cost of all the mandated improvements are going to come from the same folks, namely YOU. It's just plain old arithmetic!
Privatization of the airport would be an even greater fiasco. They're already undermining the tax base and the commercial real estate market by giving away sweetheart leases up there. A private operator wwoulda imply accelerate the rate of attrition without commensurate benefit to the public.
ReplyDeleteTerry Riley was lobbying for this company way before his post council grace period was over. Way, way before.
ReplyDeletePrivate Company? But where would all those nap taking, Price Chopper shoppin, cigarette smokin, newspaper readin, let's take a break before we go on overtime employees go?
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Terry Riley is thought to be behind this. Check news clips. He led a major revolt a few years ago when Kay Barnes proposed the same thing. What is the difference now? 8 wnder what it could be?
ReplyDeleteCould it be this time Riley has the client, buddy or relative that will benefit? Why isn't anyone asking this?
Hello people. It would still take tax $ to make the repairs. The city would still own the pipes, sewers, etc. It is just the difference of having in house workers you can control do the work or writing a check to a company. If all the pipes need fixing it will cost.
ReplyDeleteThe city needs to conduct an audit of the Water Department and share the results with the public.
ReplyDeleteLet AEG run it.
ReplyDeleteOkay, say-no-to-everything-ers, who's got a better idea? The current state of the department is an utter wreck. We have huge infrastructure needs that we'll have to pay for one way or the other. Seems like two obvious options are keep it public and pay for it with additional taxes or privatize it and pay for it with higher rates. Plusses and minuses to both. If you've got the answer, now's the time to speak up, folks! Complaining about other peoples' ideas ain't going to fix it.
ReplyDeleteBlame it on the firefighters. Every other moron does!. You people are idiots. You have bitched and bitched but never have a good solution to any problems. Get a life you fuck stains!
ReplyDeleteI think it is the firefighters' fault.
ReplyDeletePrivatize the fire department!
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea that would actualy work to improve just about everything city government touches.
ReplyDeleteAccountability.
The taxpayers pony up millions of dollars every year, much of which is spent on salaries for people to plan, manage, lead, supervise, and achieve results through the hundreds of city employees, who also are paid and receive benefits from public money.
And year after year, water pipes break, murders increase, streets fall apart, housing departments collapse, and on and on and everyone points fingers, but the same folks are still around.
Instead of creating a parallel organization, why not make the one that's already there work? Or just get rid of what you have and then create something new?
If a company operated the way KCMO does, it would have been bankrupt and gone a very long time ago.
It's simple....the politicians sell the water dept....private company raises rates (to pay for the deal)....then the politicians don't have accountability. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
ReplyDeleteThe solution to a City Council ignoring an issue for decades is not to sell out. The results of a one party system and kicking the can down the road are now due for payment...pay up and stop voting for a one party system that answers to no one. I would porivatize the fire department way before the water department.
ReplyDeleteI think that gal is loading a huge fart.
ReplyDelete2:21, Terry Riley has been pimping for American Water ever since he left office (thank God he is gone). While in office, he rarely paid his water bill and is reportedly still way behind. But he and ugly fat chick Cathy Nugent, American Water consultant have been peddling their privatization schtick dpfor months. Nugent gets incredibly pissed when she can't get a meeting with council members or mayor.
ReplyDeleteThe privatization is a bad idea. It should be obvious...Riley is now pushing for it, along with ugly fat KANSAS chick Cathy Nugent. It's good for the hired guns, not for KCMO.