The Problems With Privatization

The price to park your car for an hour in the Millennium Park Garage has risen 31 percent, to $17, since the garage was leased to Morgan Stanley in 2006.

The cost to drive an auto across the Chicago Skyway is now 50 percent higher than it was in 2004, when Australian and Spanish investors paid $1.83 billion for a 99-year lease.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Wiredwilly]

Privatization of Public Projects = Treason
And now, the Exxon-Mobile Vice -President of the United States , Sarah Palin !
The taxpayer pays to build the project, the Politicians pocket the cash when they sell the finished project to private investors ,then the taxpayer pays again to use the project they built themselves. Republican philosophy " Socialize Cost, Privatize profits ".
Enough is enough. Put the Republicans in jail.

[JScott]

Privatization is not the saviour that it's been touted.
Good case Los Angeles Department Of Water And Power opted out of utility deregulation and has lower rates and better service and reliability that Soulthern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric Co.-both of which had financial problems after deregulation and these are private investor owned utilitites. Most municipal utilities enjoy lower rates and better service.

[MRb1000]

Problem with privatization hmmm. This is a very easy one. Its because a corporation is never going to look out for the public's interest. It is only going to look out for its share holder and their own personal interest. Their thinking is only pure capitalism. End of story!

[jane47]

FLY FREE with FREE ENERGY

AIRLINES may prefer to look into why we are not able to have the privilege of free energy

I have included the website of a Utube video as shown on Sky news Australia. The inventors on this website are not the only people who have managed to realise Nikola Tesla's invention. If you are interested in the zero point energy I reccommend Thomas Reardon USA (often maligned in the internet- however in my opinion he has the intregrity of Paul Skinner as I have observed in the BBC interviews) to enlighten the relaity of this reality.

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/free-energy-home-generator-zero-point-energy-off-the-grid/

http://www.free-energy-info.co.uk/

Australian race car driver, Peter Brock, who died from a freak accident has developed a polarisor which enables a huge reduction in G force on vehicles cornering and stopping... information GMH has secured...

http://forums.thescene.com.au/forums/t/33313.aspx

I have also sent this information to Al Fayed and Mahindra Motors in India, Rio Tinto Chairman Paul Skinner and Prince Charles and if I could find Carlos Ghosn (Nissan Motors ) I would also send this to him

I am only hopeful that someone will be able to investigate why and how we are not able to be afforded this amazing energy source.

Warm regards and many thanks
Jane

[Smirk]

Since many won't read the article, below are some key passages that might peak their interest (pro or con). It also amazes me that privitization of public assests isn't widely viewed as theft, since taxpayers have paid for these assets to be built.

The privatization of public assets has sparked a debate among academics and urban officials across the country about whether the leasing of bridges, roads and other infrastructure is a smart way to manage public resources over the long haul or just a desperate quick fix.

Because the phenomenon is so new, less has been said about what happens to consumers when they go from being taxpayers using public facilities to customers of a for-profit business.

It turns out they pay a lot more.

In the early years, price hikes by new owners are usually fixed and modest, experts say, but over the years, owners generally have more latitude to raise prices: Tolls go up, parking rates rise and the cost of using an airport takes off.

[gevan]

Republican tax cut so you have more of your own money to spend are just part of their program of wealth redistribution. Their aim is to take what you would spend on taxes for the public good and put those dollars in private hands for the enrichment of those who have just enough money that they need more of yours. Americans must ask themselves whether they believe in a common interest or that it is every man (and woman) for themselves. The GOP's side is obvious, but is it clear what Democrats think?

[davidly]

Dems pet project is the middle class. You see, they also believe in trickle down economics - as long as it begins with them.