Detroit residents demand free utilities

[flaggyc]

I'm politically moderate, and while the self sufficiency / accountability of the right makes sense in a lot of circumstances to me, my leftist exposure makes me want to ask hard rightists: at what point of disadvantage or destitution (educational, medical, financial) would someone be qualified to be helped? Or is there no helping anyone under any circumstances, no matter how they arrived there?

My point is simply that I can see how people raised in the US third world would have a hard time breaking free of it's pitfalls without some assistance or opportunities being handed to them. That being considered, without any assistance or special opportunities, what should people in destitution do to solve their problems if they're already trying their hardest just to earn a living, pay bills, afford housing and keep their kids out of jail / the morgue?

To me the solution to problems like this don't involve assigning blame, shaming people, or paying paltry debts for the poor (which assumes ridiculously that their water bill is the only problem they're facing). Solving a problem like this requires overhauling the scholastic, social, and economic environment that continues to produce hundreds of thousands of people, generation after generation who either choose to or cannot pay their bills. Whatever that solution looks like it will almost inevitably require taxpayer money in some shape or form.

The problem with issues like this is they are a fire: without containment and a plan to put it out they spread to people and places where they didn't exist before.

 

[AMProducts]

Try living in Portland !

I thought you guys relieved yourself in the reservoirs?

I'm politically moderate, and while the self sufficiency / accountability of the right makes sense in a lot of circumstances to me, my leftist exposure makes me want to ask hard rightists: at what point of disadvantage or destitution (educational, medical, financial) would someone be qualified to be helped? Or is there no helping anyone under any circumstances, no matter how they arrived there?

Politically... I'm not really sure where I stand, but as to your question.

To expose my own cognitive disconnect between the way things are, and the way things should be. A utility should charge the customer for what they use, that charge should reflect the cost of delivering the service to the customers. If things operated this way, we would not be having this discussion.

That said, I have 3 assertions as to how things "should be":

1) A Service (in this case water) costs money, it costs money to obtain the water, to treat the water, and to distribute it to the customers.
2) If some customers don't pay, then someone else must pay, whether this is other water users, or the government.
3) As a monopoly utility, the water company should be operated as a non-profit, a coop, or a customer-owned enterprise.

Now, for the way things probably are:

I would estimate, if the water utility in Detroit operates like many other utilities I've observed, that is, since the company generally operates as a not-for-profit, the employees and the unions have a tendency to line their pockets, this comes at the expense of rate payers. This violates point 3, and as such the water utility is acting as an unfair monopoly.

What has bothered me for quite some time, is that courts have supported the rights of unions to continue looting the public treasury in terms of backing up generous deals cut between politicians and public sector unions. The people we see protesting are the constituents who likely voted for the politicians, and as such we are left in a situation where the vicious cycle of looting the treasury will simply continue unabated.

I am not unsympathetic to the plight of the people who can't afford their water bill, which is a major reason why I have strong questions about the price of the water, and whether it is a reasonable price. I have also had lean times in my life, ironically, I've had to make tough decisions about whether I wanted to eat, or whether I wanted to pay an IRS bill. Since my stomach can only be pissed at me for so long, and I'm allergic to government bureaucracy, I paid my tax bill.

To bottom line it: It's hard to be sympathetic to people who want to ride for free when you already paid.

 

[ocarolan]

Thanks for the perspective flaggyc. Regardless of how you feel, now is the time to get ready.

Of course, these high water bills and municipal collapses will come to many cities eventually. The bond system is not sustainable without a high rate of inflation.

But more seriously, we're on the brink of returning to normal arid conditions, and water will become very precious in some states.

Expect counties to ban well-drilling, extreme management of water rights, and very high municipal water bills for everyone. Expect a century-long dust bowl. Get your water rights now, your children will thank you.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I can understand this and would think in terms of helping the single moms, until I see all those over weight single moms.

Just how many single moms are we talking about here? Remember, popping out kids is a job to thousands of these ladys.

 

[Hook686]

Just how many single moms are we talking about here? Remember, popping out kids is a job to thousands of these ladys.

"ladys" ... You are very generous Sgt.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

"ladys" ... You are very generous Sgt.

Only takes a millisecond to be polite!

 

[cookie]

Free money now free water. Didn't Obama give them free phones?