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Privatization

The Value of Water

Henry Henderson | Posted 11.20.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Asian Carp, Lake Michigan, Nrdc, Invasive Species, Pollution, Chicago River, Chicago River Sewage, Natural Resources Defense Council, Atrazine, Water Pollution, Water, Chicago, Great Lakes, Privatization, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Ballast-Water, Chicago News
Henry Henderson

The water rich communities of the Great Lakes region do not understand the nature and value of their most precious resource.

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Alderman On Lease Of City Water System: 'There Is Something In The Works'

Chicago Tribune | Michael Hawthorne | Posted 11.16.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Privatization, Chicago Privatization, Chicago Water Privatization, Chicago Water Lease, Chicago Water Supply, Mayor Daley, Chicago News

Mayor Richard Daley says any part of city government is up for grabs if the price is right. But if he is tempted to dangle Chicago's vast water syste...

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Parking Meter Rates Set To Rise Again

Parking Ticket Geek | Posted 11.02.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Privatization, Chicago Parking Meters, Chicago Parking Meter Rates, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Chicago News

In just less than 60 days, Chicago's parking meter rates will increase again....

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After Parking Meters, Five Other Public Assets Daley Could Sell

Chicago Sun-Times | FRAN SPIELMAN | Posted 10.23.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Midway Airport Privatization, Midway Airport, Mayor Daley, Chicago Parking Meters, O'Hare, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Chicago Budget, Chicago Garbage, Privatization, Chicago Water System, Chicago Sewer System, Chicago News

After draining reserve funds generated by city asset sales, Mayor Daley has hitched Chicago's financial future to continuing the Great Chicago sell-of...

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The Privatization of Our Children

Daniel Heimpel | Posted 10.16.2009 | Living

Read More: California, Child Welfare, Child Abuse, Rural America, Children, Non-Profits, Privatization, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Children's Health, Living News
Daniel Heimpel

The question must be floated: can we as a society be engaged in privatizing our children?

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Few Bidders For Snow Plow Privatization Plan

Chicago Sun-Times | FRAN SPIELMAN | Posted 10.07.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Privatization, Snow Plow Privatization, Chicago Side Street Snow Plow, Chicago Snow Plows, Chicago Snow Removal, Chicago News

Private contractors are not exactly beating down the door to take over one of Chicago's most politically slippery tasks -- side-street snow removal --...

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Fleecing the USA Again: Non-Performance-Based P3 Banker Fees

Michael Likosky | Posted 09.28.2009 | Business

Read More: Goldman Sachs, p3s, Chicago Parking, Investment Banks, World War Two, Bridges, Public-Private Partnerships, Tarp Banks, Power, Public Works, City of Chicago, Water, Roads, Privatization, Levies, Bonuses, People of Chicago, Skyway, Business News
Michael Likosky

If the recovery is done right, we can forge public-private partnerships akin to the Second World War. However, our least patriotic institution, the large scale investment bank, seems to have something different in mind.

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Daley Getting Angry At Parking Meter Company

Chicago Sun-Times | FRAN SPIELMAN | Posted 11.15.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Chicago Parking Meters, Daley Parking Meters, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Mayor Daley, Privatization, Chicago Parking Meter LLC, LAZ Parking, Chicago News

Mayor Daley said today that he is losing confidence in the company hired to run the city's parking meters following the revelation of more problems wi...

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What South Africa's Water Trial Can Teach Us About Health Care For All

Emma Ruby-Sachs | Posted 10.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: Cholera Outbreak, South Africa, Swine Flu Outbreak, Constitutional Court, Profits, Profit, Swine Flu Pandemic, Water, Health, Swine Flu, Health Care Reform, Privatization, Cholera, Health Care, Politics News
Emma Ruby-Sachs

Let's hope that the Constitutional Court and the U.S. court of public opinion come to the right conclusion and accept responsibility for essential services.

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City Downplays Parking Meter Lawsuit: 'Wholly Without Merit'

Chicago Public Radio | Alex Keefe | Posted 09.20.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Chicago Parking Meters, Chicago Parking Meter Lease, Privatization, Chicago Parking Meter Lawsuit, Iviipo, Chicago Parking Meter Deal, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Chicago News

In a brief written statement, the city says the lawsuit over its $1.15 billion parking meter privatization is "wholly without merit."...

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Chicago Sued Over Parking Meter Privatization Deal

Huffington Post | Posted 09.19.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Owen Brugh, Parking Meter Privatization, Privatization, Chicago Parking Meters, Chicago Parking Meter Lease, Iviipo, Chicago Parking Meter Deal, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Chicago Parking Meter Lawsuit, Chicago News

Chicago's much-maligned parking meter lease deal is getting a fresh beating. The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization, a ...

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Chicago Skyway May Be Up For Grabs As Company Looks To Unload Public Assets

Bloomberg News | Darrell Preston | Posted 08.28.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Macquarie Infrastructure Group, Privatization, Chicago Skyway, Chicago Skyway Sale, Chicago Skyway Lease, Indiana Toll Road, Chicago News

Macquarie Infrastructure Group, a publicly traded toll-road fund managed by Australia's biggest investment bank, Macquarie Group Ltd., may sell the le...

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Finally, a Craigslist for Government Assets

Michael Likosky | Posted 08.27.2009 | Business

Read More: Public Assets, Credit Ratings, Infrastructure, Government Accountability, p3s, Dog Shelters, Bridges, Public-Private Partnerships, Roads, Privatization, Blue Chip Law Firms, Allen--Overy, Financial Crisis, Craigslist, Municipal Debt, Business News
Michael Likosky

If you're looking for a good deal on public assets, Allen & Overy LLP, a leading international law firm, has a product for you.

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Obama's Economy

Michael Likosky | Posted 08.20.2009 | Business

Read More: Citi, Energy, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, p3s, Public-Private Partnerships, Bailouts, George W. Bush, President Obama, Shock and Awe, Public Works, Infrastructure, Morgan Stanley, Tax Incentives, General Motors, Janesville-Wisconsin, Rustbelt, Michigan, Iraq War, Privatization, Goldman, Economic Stimulus, Tarp, Tax Havens, Business News
Michael Likosky

If the TARP banks are to be a main investment vehicle for the next stage of recovery -- as they should be, it is after all our money not theirs -- it is heartening to have Obama at the helm.

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Backstage at a Run-of-River Green-Energy Project

James Glave | Posted 07.10.2009 | Green

Read More: Renewable Energy, British Columbia, Carbon Emissions, Run-of-River, Hydro-Electric Power, Privatization, Green News
James Glave

These projects capture the kinetic energy of falling water without the massive negative impacts associated with dam construction, and they're causing quite a stir.

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Inspector General Rips Parking Meter Deal In Report: City Could Have Gotten Nearly $1 Billion More

Huffington Post | Tim Taliaferro | Posted 07.03.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Chicago Parking Meters, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Daley Parking Meters, Mayor Daley, Privatization, Chicago Parking Meter Lease, Inspector General Parking Meter Report, Chicago Parking Meter Deal, David Hoffman, Chicago News

The City of Chicago leased its parking meters for nearly $1 billion less than they were worth and the office in charge of valuing the meters didn't ev...

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The Last Social Insurance Dinosaur

Allison Kilkenny | Posted 06.25.2009 | Politics

Read More: Privatization, Washington Post, Medicare, Social Security, Health Care, Robert J. Samuelson, Politics News
Allison Kilkenny

As usual, the first hint of a looming financial crisis resurrected the sudden need to get rid of Social Security.

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LA Considering Following Chicago's Lead On Parking Meters

NBC Chicago | Steve Rhodes | Posted 06.18.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Privatization, Parking Meter Privatization, Chicago Parking Meters, Los Angeles Parking Meters, Antonio Villaraigosa, Chicago News

While at least some members of Los Angeles's City Council look at Chicago's parking meter mess and see . . . a mess, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa looks ...

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Privatized Hell

J. Richard Cohen | Posted 05.23.2009 | Politics

Read More: Privatization, Juvenile Justice, Prisons, Mississippi, Incarcerated Teens, Politics News
J. Richard Cohen

As a society, we are facing a crucial decision: We can continue to criminalize our children and groom them for adult prisons. Or, we can invest in programs that help rather than harm them.

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Midway Airport Privatization Deal Collapses

AP | Posted 05.21.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Midway Airport Privatization, Midway Lease Deal, Midway Privatization Deal, Midway Airport, Privatization, Credit Crisis, Travel, Private Airports, Gene Saffold, Chicago-Illinois, Chicago News

CHICAGO (AP) -- A $2.5 billion first-of-its-kind deal to privatize a major U.S. airport has collapsed amid the global credit crunch, city officials sa...

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Chicago: The Privatized City of the Future

Michael Moreci | Posted 05.17.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Chicago Parking Meters, Chicago Privatization, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Chicago Parking Tickets, Privatization, Urban Policy, Chicago News
Michael Moreci

This is the dream of business-minded elected officials: Boatloads of cash come in and none goes out. As Chicago sells off more and more, they'll be required to do less and less.

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Tomorrow's Info Today: Staying Ahead of the News Cycle

Randall Amster | Posted 04.12.2009 | Media

Read More: The Future, Future, Media News, Unified Theory, Information Overload, Green Collar Economy, Green Jobs, Rush Limbaugh, Current Events, Economy, Victory Gardens, Information Age, The Commons, Teleportation, Recession, Star Trek, Nature, Privatization, Agribusiness, Robotics, Gardening, Gmo, Robots, Vulture Capitalism, Humor, Speculation, New Media, Humor and Satire, Media News
Randall Amster

From now on, I will only get my news from future-based sources, and thus seek to remain ahead of the curve. Outlandish, you say? Impossible? You are obviously so behind the times.

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Water, Water Everywhere? Sustaining Scarce Resources in the Desert

Randall Amster | Posted 04.05.2009 | Green

Read More: Tragedy of the Commons, Progress, Sustainable Resources, New Mexico, Water, Acequia, Environment, Privatization, Environmentalism, Climate Change, The Commons, Arizona, Water Crisis, Bottled Water, War, Oil, Green News
Randall Amster

It's one thing when the desert is bereft of water, but the marshlands? The nation's agricultural leader? Major cities? Whole continents? And this is only the beginning.

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Jailing Teenagers and the Poisoning of Public Purpose

Donald Cohen | Posted 03.29.2009 | Politics

Read More: Privatization, Prisons, Prison Privatization, Prison Industry, Jail, Politics News
Donald Cohen

The real problem is that the structure of private detention and prison contracting creates incentives and behaviors that poison our system of criminal justice.

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Banks, Baseball, and What's Wrong with "Naming Rights"

Warren Goldstein | Posted 03.14.2009 | Politics

Read More: New York Yankees, Privatization, New York Mets, Baseball, Stimulus Plan, Citigroup Bailout, Bank Bailout, Politics News
Warren Goldstein

The brouhaha over Citigroup's naming rights to the new Mets stadium taps into intense feelings, not only about a storied baseball franchise, but also about the economic mess we're in.

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