A New Jersey bid to privatize water without public votes

[n2doc]

A bill that would allow New Jersey municipalities to sell their public water utilities to private, for-profit corporations without putting the measure to voters is awaiting Gov. Chris Christie’s signature.

Until now, any municipality in New Jersey that sought to sell off its water system to a private bidder had to hold a public vote. But a bill passed with bipartisan support by the state’s Senate last week would allow municipalities with aging and deteriorating water systems to put their systems up for sale without holding a referendum.

While supporters of the bill say privatizing water systems could save municipalities money, it allows companies to factor the purchase price of the systems into the rates they charge customers, meaning taxpayers could ultimately be on the hook for the sale of their water systems.

Many New Jersey municipalities have turned to privatization as a way to get quick cash infusions for their deteriorating water systems. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the state would need $41 billion over the next 20 years to repair its water, stormwater and wastewater systems.

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http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/12/29/new-jersey-waterprivatization.html

[Shrike47]

1. Water is a basic right and should remain in public hands and control. Shame on New Jersey!

[n2doc]

3. But the Grifters need a new scam! n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Charming.

How are we ever gonna get back the stuff our politicians are giving away?

Minor things, ya know--like water, air…

[Octafish]

4. Piratization of America

Parents, you're going to want to lock up your children.

[liberal from boston]

5. Privatization of Water

This is the MO of the Republican Party--privatize all public sector jobs--look what is happening with US Post Office!!! It needs to stop!!!

[WinkyDink]

17. Privatize = not only profits; it means NO BENEFITS, NO PENSIONS.. No $$ for the public

good and the public coffers ----> NO MORE SOCIAL SECURITY OR MEDICARE.

THEY ARE IN THIS FOR THE LONG GAME, AND HAVE BEEN SINCE FDR.

Only fools who think Republicans are capable or desirous of "compromise" think otherwise.

[SomethingFishy]

6. So instead of creating jobs and fixing the infrastructure

they are going to sell off the water utilities to private companies, which in turn will fix the water systems and probably triple the water rates.

This country is one sick fucking place. Let's profit off of hospitals, prisons, schools, and now... water.

Hey it's ok, if you can't afford the new "for profit" water rates.... die.

[Thav]

7. Minus fix.

They'll triple rates and just do the bare minimum to keep it going. Then when the system finally collapses, they'll fix it, and raise rates to cover the cost.

There's no incentive for a private industry to do things better when it's handed a monopoly.

[maindawg]

18. Thats close

when the systems are finally condemned , they will sell them to someone else.
The Chinese, the French billionaires , perhaps the Russians....
or the Kochs

[ladjf]

8. The human race continues to make one dumb, destructive decision after another. nt

[WinkyDink]

15. (I didn't see the "bipartisan support" before I posted. Good God, where did the "sapiens" go?)

[hollysmom]

9. never saw this in the news and I read state news like a fanatic.

must start calling people.

[Hoppy]

10. Remember, part of the problem is the unwillingness to pay increased taxes to fix problems.

[Oilwellian]

24. NJ residents

pay some of the highest taxes in the nation.

[lark]

11. Puke city

"passed on a bipartisan basis", OMG. Greedy, selfserving pols from both parties, stealing from the people once again. Now, will poor people not be able to have water in their houses or water to drink once the prices are jacked sky high? Considering the source, it could be part of the plan.

[Overseas]

12. K&R. Privatization brings so much corruption. Hope they can prevent it.

[WinkyDink]

13. Classic Mafia take-over of a legit enterprise. Use it first to money-launder; then bankrupt it; then

leave the ruins to the locality.

[RiverLover]

14. Taxpayers getting screwed again while those elected literally sell them down the river.

Not proud to be an American lately. American greed is drowning out all the good stuff.

[spanone]

16. criminal christie

[turbinetree]

19. Really

Lets really look at this issue.
As the old Bullwinkle / Rocky segment motto use to say:
Hey, Rocky watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.
Nothing up my sleeve ---pesto
Then, he (Bullwinkle) would pull out something from the hat or make a comment, and say something to Rocky.

This water issue is same as the cartoon with Bullwinkle trying to be a magician, this is nothing more than more smoke and mirrors of a failure to maintain and shirks ones responsibilities (government) to maintain this public infrastructure and prevent the privatization of greed, this is outrageous.
The costs if and when this measure is signed will not be transparent, if you don't think so, look no further than Michigan.
It is amazing that the legislature its in quest to save supposed taxes are in actually taking tax dollars giving it to some private entity and then having the firm of greed be responsible by raising a tax or a bill to subsidize the greed, instead of performing the job and making the infrastructure whole------amazing

[octoberlib]

20. Jesus. We're all gonna be dying of thirst, especially the poor. The World Bank and the IMF make

it a condition of their loans that the country receiving the loan has to privatize their water systems. This has had disastrous effects on some third world countries.

Privatization Leads to Rate Increases
Corporations have utilized rate hikes to maximize profits, which, by definition, is their bottom line. This bottom
line often comes at the expense of water quality and customer service, but not at the expense of maintaining inflated
executive salaries. Among the more unseemly aspects of handling water as a marketable commodity, rather than a
basic human need and a natural resource, is that the poor are often denied access. Because living without water is
not an option, people are often forced to consume unsafe water, lest be faced with going without food, medicine or
education.

Privatization Undermines Water Quality
Because corporate agendas are driven by profits rather than the public good, privatization usually results in the
compromising of environmental standards. The National Association of Water Companies (NAWC), which
represents the U.S. private water industry, intensively and perennially lobbies Congress and the Environmental
Protection Agency to refrain from adopting higher water quality standards. The NAWC also persistently requests
that all federal regulations be based on sound cost-benefit analysis, which means that public health is compromised
for the sake of higher profits.

Companies Are Accountable to Shareholders, Not Consumers
In many cases, deals that government agencies make with water companies include exclusive distribution rights for
25 to 30 years, effectively sanctioning a monopoly. Companies are under little pressure to respond to customer
concerns, especially when the product in question is not a luxury item that families can do without if they are
dissatisfied with the performance of the only provider.

Privatization Reduces Local Control and Public Rights
When water services are privatized, very little can be done to ensure that the company — be it domestic, foreign or
transnational — will work in the best interest of the community. Furthermore, if a community is dissatisfied with
the performance of the company, buying back the water rights is a very difficult and costly proposition. Again, the
prime directive of the water companies is to maximize profits, not protect consumers.

Privatization Would Open the Door for Bulk Water Exports
Fully aware of bleak water supply prognostications, corporations are in a mad dash to obtain access to fresh water
that they can sell at huge profits, as high as 35 percent. It goes without saying that those who control water supplies
will exercise economic and political power at almost unimaginable degrees. Bulk water exports — transporting
water from water-rich countries to water-poor countries — could have disastrous consequences. Massive extraction
of water from its natural sources can result in ecological imbalance and destruction. Disrupting aquifers by overextraction
often damages the environment and socioeconomic standards. Groundwater is being over-extracted as it
is, and once aquifers are emptied or polluted, they are almost impossible to restore.

http://www.citizen.org/documents/top10-reasonstoopposewaterprivatization.pdf

[JDPriestly]

21. They would privatize God if they could.

[blackspade]

22. what a terrible law.

[Scuba]

23. "Bi-partisan support." Anyone still doubt that the Democratic Party has been hijacked by the right?

[TheNutcracker]

25. they are both hijacked by the corporations...who are far R I G H T