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exton
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Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 4218
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 Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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| shankarsingam wrote: | | Mark my words, corporations have their eyes on another resource essential for human survival....water. |
They already have it in their grip, really. Most people distrust tap water merely from the fact that bottled water exists.
But you should keep in mind that someone, somewhere is always going to profit from providing critical resources. Even if it's the government doing it, we still pay the government employees who take care of the matter. |
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cornopean
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 3576
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 1:26 am Post subject: |
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| exton wrote: | | shankarsingam wrote: | | Mark my words, corporations have their eyes on another resource essential for human survival....water. |
They already have it in their grip, really. Most people distrust tap water merely from the fact that bottled water exists.
But you should keep in mind that someone, somewhere is always going to profit from providing critical resources. Even if it's the government doing it, we still pay the government employees who take care of the matter. |
privatising water is a great idea. this isn't a liberal conservative issue. if you privatise water, you can fire the water company. if the govt is supplying water, then the firing option aint there. |
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Lester
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Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 4650
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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| cornopean wrote: | | exton wrote: | | shankarsingam wrote: | | Mark my words, corporations have their eyes on another resource essential for human survival....water. |
They already have it in their grip, really. Most people distrust tap water merely from the fact that bottled water exists.
But you should keep in mind that someone, somewhere is always going to profit from providing critical resources. Even if it's the government doing it, we still pay the government employees who take care of the matter. |
privatising water is a great idea. this isn't a liberal conservative issue. if you privatise water, you can fire the water company. if the govt is supplying water, then the firing option aint there. |
Funny you say that, because there are these things called elections... |
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exton
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Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 4218
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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| cornopean wrote: |
privatising water is a great idea. this isn't a liberal conservative issue.
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I agree that it's got nothing to do with liberals or conservatives. It's still a bad idea.
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if you privatise water, you can fire the water company. |
And lose access to water.
The water supply isn't a commodity that you can choose on a market. It's an infrastructure. You can't fire the infrastructure, you can only fire the people who run it.
| Quote: |
if the govt is supplying water, then the firing option aint there. |
Yeah, it's not like we have elections or anything. |
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shankarsingam
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Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 1145
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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| exton wrote: | | shankarsingam wrote: | | Mark my words, corporations have their eyes on another resource essential for human survival....water. |
They already have it in their grip, really. Most people distrust tap water merely from the fact that bottled water exists.
But you should keep in mind that someone, somewhere is always going to profit from providing critical resources. Even if it's the government doing it, we still pay the government employees who take care of the matter. |
Yes but the government wont and cant raise prices on a whim or scam investorsout of billions(enron) else be voted out.
Keep an eye on Vivendi Corp. The largest water magnate today. |
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cornopean
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 3576
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| Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:48 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Quote: |
if you privatise water, you can fire the water company. |
And lose access to water. |
I can't verify this but this blog says...
"In France, private-sector companies have gradually replaced local authorities as the operator of water supply and treatment services. Roughly three-quarters of the sector is now managed by private utilities. Two dominate the market: Vivendi Environment (which grew out of the well-known water company Generale des Eaux), and Suez Lyonaisse (formerly Lyonnais des Eaux).
These two groups have built a raft of commercial interests around the core business of water supply and treatment, and have a long history of doing so: Generale des Eaux, established in 1853, won its first public service concession to supply water in Lyons. It quickly won a series of other major contracts including one with the city of Paris in 1860. The first contract for wastewater treatment was signed with the city of Rheims in 1884.
This concession model of water supply and treatment has a long history in other countries too. General des Eaux exported its expertise to Italy, for example, when it won a contract to supply Venice in 1880. Ninety years later, it expanded into Spain and in 1986 it formed General Utilities to build up a portfolio of water (and other) businesses in the United Kingdom. In 1993 it became the main shareholder in AWT, which supplies water to New York City in the United States. In 1998, Vivendi, won the first build, operate and transfer (BOT) contract to build a water treatment plant in China. Indeed, around the world, Vivendi supplies 80 million people with drinking water, and has become the largest water utility in Europe.
Vivendi's great rival, Lyonnaise des Eaux, supplies 77 million people globally with drinking water, and handles wastewater services for 52 million. Its global interests include a number of contracts with city authorities in the United States where such public-private partnership,s are becoming increasingly popular. Its American subsidiary, United Water, recently won the largest-ever contract awarded for the supply of drinking water in Atlanta, Georgia. In the United Kingdom, Suez Lyonaisse owns the privatized Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk, one of the former statutory water companies.
Other countries have transferred state-run water systems to private management. In Argentina, for example, Obras Sanitarias was sold to Aguas Argentinas, a subsidiary of Suez Lyonnaise, which expanded the water network to 600,000 new users, and agreed to cut prices by a quarter and invest US$4 billion in improving services. Australia has increased the private-sector role in water management, while in Canada, many municipalities have entered into partnerships with private-sector managers.
Nevertheless, there is a high degree of consumer satisfaction with the services provided by the private water operators in France: over 85% satisfaction, according to recent surveys."
http://www.adamsmith.org/80ideas/idea/51.htm |
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exton
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Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 4218
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| Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 2:31 am Post subject: |
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| cornopean wrote: |
I can't verify this but this blog says... |
The premise of your assertion that private water is better is the idea that you can "fire" a water company that you are unsatisfied with.
Read what you posted. Note how it doesn't mention much, or any, turnover in terms of water companies.
And i'll repeat what i stated, since you apparently didn't read it:
"The water supply isn't a commodity that you can choose on a market. It's an infrastructure. You can't fire the infrastructure, you can only fire the people who run it." |
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cornopean
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 3576
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:16 am Post subject: |
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| I have always wondered why local govts don't privatize snow removal. why can't private operators be given a street and be told to keep it clean of snow and fix any potholes. they do a good job...they keep the contract. they fail...they lose it. isn't this a simple and obvious improvement to city snow removal? |
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cornopean
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 3576
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:21 am Post subject: |
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I love this.
"Sandy Springs, Ga., has proved that local governments don't need hundreds of public employees to function. Sandy Springs, a fast-growing town of more than 80,000 residents, has only four public employees who are not involved with public safety. Except for police and fire, virtually every government function has been contracted out.
In its two years under private management, Sandy Springs hasn't needed a tax hike or a fee increase, the government has become more responsive, the service quality has improved, and so has customer satisfaction. The residents love it.
In fact, this model has worked so well that two other Atlanta-area communities adopted it last year, and several others are considering a similar approach."
http://www.tbo.com/news/opinio.....DLT2F.html |
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Lester
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Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 4650
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Compare tax rates to the money spent on those private services, see which costs more. |
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cornopean
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 3576
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Lester wrote: | | Compare tax rates to the money spent on those private services, see which costs more. |
I will email the mayor and ask him. be back soon. |
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exton
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Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 4218
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| Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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| cornopean wrote: | | I have always wondered why local govts don't privatize snow removal. |
They do in the town that i'm from. |
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Lester
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Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 4650
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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| cornopean wrote: | | Lester wrote: | | Compare tax rates to the money spent on those private services, see which costs more. |
I will email the mayor and ask him. be back soon. |
I can't tell if your being sarcastic or not, I sure hope you are, because it would be impressive. |
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cornopean
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 3576
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| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Lester wrote: | | cornopean wrote: | | Lester wrote: | | Compare tax rates to the money spent on those private services, see which costs more. |
I will email the mayor and ask him. be back soon. |
I can't tell if your being sarcastic or not, I sure hope you are, because it would be impressive. |
I emailed someone in the city govt. awaiting an answer. will update when I get one. |
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shankarsingam
Forum Elder
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 1145
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| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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| cornopean wrote: | | Lester wrote: | | cornopean wrote: | | Lester wrote: | | Compare tax rates to the money spent on those private services, see which costs more. |
I will email the mayor and ask him. be back soon. |
I can't tell if your being sarcastic or not, I sure hope you are, because it would be impressive. |
I emailed someone in the city govt. awaiting an answer. will update when I get one. |
Dear Cornocopean, as mayor of this fine city, i have found our snow removal services have improved since contracting out to Snow-Go Co. My brother-n-law has kept our streets snow free last winter for a few more dollars/day than our regular city services and am expecting him to clean out..er, i mean clean up our city again this season. Thank you for your inquiry and see you in Church!
Your mayor,
M.Douche(R) |
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