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After Mayor Daley's budget presentation last week, speculation swirled over what city services would be next to get the privatizing treatment. CBS 2 reported over the weekend that lucky city asset to be the city's water system. The station cited an unnamed trade publication as a source but the rumor was confirmed by Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) who told CBS 2, "We've already heard inklings that they're thinking about it...They've had discussions. Why is the public not at the table?"
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All this privatization is a sure sign of a nation spiraling into decline. God help us.
It's a country-wide garage sale at this point.
Oh well--happens to the best of civilizations.
Agreed. It's at least a sign of our government's corporate fascist tendencies which is certainly indicative of a society going down the shitter.
Privatization is a bad thing 9 out of 10 times, but privatizing a water system is positively suicidal.
I'd be curious if such an initiative would get the attention of Great Lakes Water Compact supporters. This would instantly become the largest private water supplier in the basin by a long shot, and it would just happen to be located at one of the basin's largest diversions.
Does anyone really think that the alderman are that politically suicidal to approve privatization of the water system after the debacle of the parking meters?
Get real people!
It would mean a tripling of the cost the water bills!
To see what private water bills are like, read about how the Illinois American Water Co. rips off several south suburbs.
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1832768,101909HomerWater.article
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/brehm/1778043,092009brehm.article
It ain't happening folks!
There is plenty of precedent for aldermen to commit acts of political suicide at the mayor's direction, and then not suffer in the least. I don't think it's outside the bounds of credibility for this to happen at all.
But I forgot to include that Chicago sells water to at least 100 suburbs & their water bills would also go up exactly the same amount.
There's no way in lell the state legislature will allow it to happen!
One word: Bolivia
Good article, neoliberalism run amok. Business as usual.
I am pretty sure that privatizing government services is a basic tenet of republican and libertarian doctrine.
You might be getting the neoliberalism confused, it's got nothing to do with 'liberals'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
thanks for the link. now i have to triple layer my tin foil hat. my brain started hurting by the end of that article, a doctorate in global economics would have helped (i cant even balance my checkbook).
You're welcome,
It's a much more common understood as a European term but perfectly describes what we see here: privatize/deregulate. Also beware, the article is insanely biased (to the point of propaganda) in favor of "neoliberalism". The examples of cities/countries that are successes leave out endless factors that contradict what the boosters editing this article are trying to show.
Damn, meant to post that under your initial comment.
Wait, nevermind... I'll go now.
Atlanta privatized their water system years ago, and it stands as an example of how misguided privatizing city assets can be.
Normally I'd say: yeah screw privatization, but it is literally not possible to have a more inefficient organization than your Chicago Water Dept.
Ghost payrollers? Patronage jobs? This is where good people go to be sucked into a huge pit of despair.