Milwaukee's Front Door Is Open Again. Harbor District Leaves Its Machine Stop Past To History.
Milwaukee 53206: The Anatomy Of Concentrated Disadvantage In An Inner City Neighborhood, 2000-2017
It's Not Capitalism, It's Crony Capitalism
Bear Market For Stocks Already Underway, Recession Coming, Says Crescat Capital
Republicans Have Been Smearing Democrats As Socialists Since Way Before You Were Born
How America Loved To Stop Worrying And Love Deficits And Debt
How Police Violence Paves The Way To Authoritarianism
The New Way To Deregulate
Why Midsized Metro Areas Deserve Our Attention
Good Riddance To Rahm Emanuel
How To Sell Off A City
Showing posts with label deregulation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deregulation. Show all posts
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
A Few Words On Socialism
So·cial·ism /ˈsōSHəˌlizəm/ (noun)
A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
Massive Spending Cuts: The Tax Act's Hidden Costs
A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
Republicans and conservatives, and even some moderates and Democrats, have been demonizing the idea of socialism in the media as of late. (All while bitching about billionaires not being given billions in corporate welfare - socialism for the rich.)
Some of the Democratic 2020 presidential candidates have been talking of taxing the rich, fighting climate change, getting off of fossil fuels, providing Medicare for all and providing free college tuition.
The status quo, pro-business, free marketeers are up in arms over this.
Earth to douchebags - America is already a socialist country. And conservatives are more than happy with socialism for the rich. This is the predominant socialism (for the rich) in the U.S., hence rising income inequality over the past few decades.
But let's take a look at some examples of all the "socialist" policies America has:
Health Care (Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration)
Police and Fire Fighters
Public Education
Public Transportation (Buses, Air Traffic Control, Roads, Etc.)
Water & Sewer
Corporate Welfare (Farm and Oil Subsidies, Etc.)
The crux of the recent call for higher taxes and re-investment in our public goods is not some wacko commie scheme, it's the same plan of action the United States took after World War II, with high marginal tax rates, which led to our greatest period of growth and prosperity. A rising tide lifted all boats. Our infrastructure was world class. People who worked were able to pay their bills and save for retirement.
Republicans always reminisce about the great days of yesteryear. But they forget to mention the fact that taxes on the rich were much, much higher then, too.
For Further Reading:
Taxpayers — not Big Pharma — have funded the research behind every new drug since 2010Massive Spending Cuts: The Tax Act's Hidden Costs
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Trump's Tax Cuts: Reshaping The Economy For The Worse.
We're beginning to see how this giveaway to the rich will destabilize markets, increase deficits/debt, increase borrowing costs, cause a reduction in services and/or an increase in other taxes or fees.
The money has to come from somewhere. This is a society we are running here, people. Polices, road, bridges, air, water, schools, hospitals, buses, trains, airports ... paying for it is the bedrock of living in a society.
If our current society has benefited a select few with the means to own yachts, jets, multiple homes and on and on, those select few can afford to return the favor to society by paying more in taxes to help the society continue to thrive and flourish.
We cannot continue to poison the planet and pretend it's going to work out for the better. Continual deregulation only helps polluters and financial swindlers. We cannot continue to believe the mythology that is supply-side economics. Since, Republicans dropped this turd of an idea on society in the late 70s, early 80s, income inequality has risen, workers' rights have declined and wages have stagnated. Power to the people? More like, power taken from the people.
So sad to see a helpless country strong-armed by the will of such ignorance, led by a blow-dried, burnt, slovenly buffoon.
For Further Reading.
Are Trump's tax cuts backfiring on Wall Street?
“IT’S A PONZI SCHEME”: WALL STREET FEARS TRUMP’S DERANGED TAX PLAN COULD KICK OFF ECONOMIC EUTHANASIA
U.S. tax plan could cause sugar high, then economic slump
Tax Cuts, Growth and Debt
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Republican Tax Scam Reading
Republican Tax Plan Leaves $1.5 Trillion Bill For Middle Class To Pay
Law Professors Just Published A Delightful, 34-Page List Of Ways People Will Game The GOP Tax Plan
Cut We Cut The Crap On The Debt From The Tax Bill Hurting Our Kids?
What Happened When North Carolina Cut Taxes Like The GOP Plans To For The Country
I'm A Depression Historian. The GOP Tax Bill Is Straight Out Of 1929.
The Biggest Tax Scam In History
Incidence And Welfare Effects Of Corporate Tax Cuts
Voodoo Too: The GOP Addiction To Financial Deregulation
Schroedinger's Tax Hike
It Started As A Tax Cut. How It Could Change American Life.
Republicans Are Getting Ready To Repeat Kansas' Tax Cut Disaster
The Four Big Tax Deceptions
Law Professors Just Published A Delightful, 34-Page List Of Ways People Will Game The GOP Tax Plan
Cut We Cut The Crap On The Debt From The Tax Bill Hurting Our Kids?
What Happened When North Carolina Cut Taxes Like The GOP Plans To For The Country
I'm A Depression Historian. The GOP Tax Bill Is Straight Out Of 1929.
The Biggest Tax Scam In History
Incidence And Welfare Effects Of Corporate Tax Cuts
Voodoo Too: The GOP Addiction To Financial Deregulation
Schroedinger's Tax Hike
It Started As A Tax Cut. How It Could Change American Life.
Republicans Are Getting Ready To Repeat Kansas' Tax Cut Disaster
The Four Big Tax Deceptions
Friday, April 14, 2017
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Republican Public Policy Does It Again (And It's Not Good)
Poverty across Wisconsin reaches highest level in 30 years
Just a short list of the many Scott Walker failures:
Walker's health care decision means that state taxpayers are paying more to cover fewer people in the BadgerCare Plus health plan. The decision to reject that federal money is estimated to have a net cost to the state of more than $100 million in the current two-year budget. The federal money would have allowed the state to cover an estimated 84,700 more people through BadgerCare. Failure ... check.
Wisconsin Is About To Make It Easier For Debt Collectors To Go After Consumers
Scott Walker Approves Obscure Tax Break For Furniture Company, Quickly Collects Large Campaign Donation
- Slow job growth
- Budget deficits alongside giveaways and tax breaks for cronies
- Costing Wisconsin millions by refusing to expand health care under the Affordable Care Act; leading to less people having health care
- Increasing poverty
Scott Walker burst onto the scene and into the governor's mansion primarily on his self-proclaimed know-how for creating 250,000 new jobs. Wisconsin ranks 38th in private-sector job growth in 2015. So, we'll check that off as a failure on job creation.
Budget deficits were estimated at $1.5 to $2.2 billion when Walker first entered the governor's office. (The $3.6 billion estimate was from the Walker camp.) Legislative Fiscal Bureau analysis shows Wisconsin is back in the red for 2015-17, at $1.8 billion, which could grow to $2.2 billion. Wisconsin’s per-capita state debt has grown 2.9 percent during his tenure as governor, compared with a 0.34 percent decline nationwide over the same period, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Looks like we're treading water here. But, Walker did come in claiming he was going to move hell and high water; I guess we'll have to check this off as a failure, too.
And now, due to the tax cuts and slow job growth, poverty is on the rise. Is that another failure? It sure is ... check.
Deregulation, tax cuts, supple-side economics, anti-unionism, anti-science, anti-environmentalism, privatized healthcare and underfunded education - the Republican policy playbook - are not the policy prescriptions for success. Republican legislation has proven this again and again.
For Further Reading:
Budget woes complicate Gov. Scott Walker's White House ambitionsWisconsin Is About To Make It Easier For Debt Collectors To Go After Consumers
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Monday, October 27, 2014
Walker & Republicans, Stop Lying! A $1.8 Billion Deficit Isn't Budget-Saving!
Another conservative hack was given space in the Journal-Sentinel to espouse more complete right-wing fabrications. David Fladeboe, of the Wisconsin chapter of Americans For Prosperity, referred to Scott Walker's Act 10 as "budget-saving."
A $1.8 billion deficit, for those of us familiar with arithmetic, would not be considered budget-saving.
Fladeboe blathers on, "In no universe real or otherwise were powerful labor bosses and their unions ever going to make meaningful concessions that benefited hard-working teachers and public safety workers, let alone Wisconsin taxpayers."
I don't remember the Republicans calling teachers "hard-working" during the past two election cycles. "Overpaid," I believe, was their favorite adjective for teachers back then. And, public safety workers were exempted from Act 10 -- meaning -- they can still bargain for higher wages.
Fladeboe obviously has no idea what he is talking about. He's simply repeating the misguided Republican talking-point about thuggish and greedy unions, completely unaware of the fact that, over the past decade, union members have paid more for health care and pensions, gone without raises, and taken furlough days. Again, for those of us familiar with arithmetic, these would be considered "meaningful concessions."
And the idea that public sector workers are to blame for budget deficits turns reality on its head. It was all those deregulated, tax-avoiders connected to Wall Street (whom the Republicans adore and subsidize) that drove our economy into the ditch.
[I haven't seen the counter-point to these blatant right-wing falsities in the Journal. Timeliness is of the essence in these matters. Especially during election season.]
Here again we have the right-wing lying, attempting to rewrite history, and claiming their policies are working. The Democrats, the Unions, Liberals, etc. - everything is their fault. The Republicans promised jobs and budget surpluses. Neither of those promises has materialized, but they still keep on claiming and writing about how all their policies are working. And our media, for the most part, seems to be letting them get away with it. But that doesn't change the fact - the Republicans and their henchmen are lying to us.
For Further Reading:
Wisconsin's budget deficit was created by Scott Walker's irresponsible policies
Scott Walker's budget implodes. $1.8 BILLION in Wis deficits
A $1.8 billion deficit, for those of us familiar with arithmetic, would not be considered budget-saving.
Fladeboe blathers on, "In no universe real or otherwise were powerful labor bosses and their unions ever going to make meaningful concessions that benefited hard-working teachers and public safety workers, let alone Wisconsin taxpayers."
I don't remember the Republicans calling teachers "hard-working" during the past two election cycles. "Overpaid," I believe, was their favorite adjective for teachers back then. And, public safety workers were exempted from Act 10 -- meaning -- they can still bargain for higher wages.
Fladeboe obviously has no idea what he is talking about. He's simply repeating the misguided Republican talking-point about thuggish and greedy unions, completely unaware of the fact that, over the past decade, union members have paid more for health care and pensions, gone without raises, and taken furlough days. Again, for those of us familiar with arithmetic, these would be considered "meaningful concessions."
And the idea that public sector workers are to blame for budget deficits turns reality on its head. It was all those deregulated, tax-avoiders connected to Wall Street (whom the Republicans adore and subsidize) that drove our economy into the ditch.
[I haven't seen the counter-point to these blatant right-wing falsities in the Journal. Timeliness is of the essence in these matters. Especially during election season.]
Here again we have the right-wing lying, attempting to rewrite history, and claiming their policies are working. The Democrats, the Unions, Liberals, etc. - everything is their fault. The Republicans promised jobs and budget surpluses. Neither of those promises has materialized, but they still keep on claiming and writing about how all their policies are working. And our media, for the most part, seems to be letting them get away with it. But that doesn't change the fact - the Republicans and their henchmen are lying to us.
For Further Reading:
Wisconsin's budget deficit was created by Scott Walker's irresponsible policies
Scott Walker's budget implodes. $1.8 BILLION in Wis deficits
Monday, September 8, 2014
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Business Tax Climate Bull
The Tax Foundation reported Wisconsin dipped to 43rd, among the 50 states, in its business tax climate ranking.
The Tax Foundation said Wednesday that the state's rating is likely higher than its analysis originally showed.
"We received some feedback from reporters and legislators about Wisconsin's place in the index, and would like to make some clarifications about the state's ranking this year," the foundation said in a statement late Wednesday afternoon. It had released its index on Wednesday morning...
State Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) raised concerns about the ranking when it was released, arguing that with the tax law changes, there is no way the state's tax climate for business worsened.
Last year Wisconsin ranked 42nd. This year's revised ranking is 40th.
The top 10 states in 2014 are Wyoming, South Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, Florida, Washington, Montana, New Hampshire, Utah and Indiana.
Not really a murderers' row of dynamic economies. Plus, these 10 states only account for 13.6% of the United States population.
Matthew Yglesias looked at the correlation between employment, business friendly tax codes, and wages.
There is a weak negative correlation between business friendly tax codes and wages.
And a weak positive correlation between business friendly tax codes and employment-to-population ratio.
In sum, it's a nothingburger. I note that this would confirm the results of a useful Thumbtack survey which found that licensing policies drive business-friendliness but taxes don't.
Scott Walker is a Republican hopeful for the 2016 presidential election (not to mention he also has to run for governor in 2014). The party can't allow one of their poster boys to have a record (yet again) demonstrating the failure of supply-side, trickle-down, tax-cutting, deregulatory policies.
To the conservative echo chamber. All hands on deck. Republicans need to make sure their water carriers look good in the media. They do this by making sure all the editorials, reports, and talk show appearances regurgitate the same manufactured storyline - cutting taxes and deregulation work.
Enter the Tax Foundation. A right-wing, anti-tax, anti-regulation interest group masquerading as an unbiased think tank. Of its founders, two were General Motors executives, one was president of the Standard Oil Company. Funny how the policies the Tax Foundation support also happen to benefit the businesses of it's founders.
Thus, when bad news slips out, to the backtrack machine. Oops. Scott Walker is actually improving things. He's been such a lightning bolt, Wisconsin's business climate moved two whole spots!
Business climate rankings have been found to be meaningless. The money and time involved in producing and propagandizing such could actually be put to productive use.
Lastly, why are "business-friendly tax codes" a good thing? Corporate profits are at an all-time high, yet wages continue to stagnate. How much more business-friendly do we need to be? Where's the worker-friendly policy rankings?
For Further Reading:
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Elizabeth Warren 2016
It appears as though if we (Democrats, leftists, Labor, environmentalists, the reality-based, etc.) really want change, we need Elizabeth Warren leading the way. The strongest, most relentless, and most lucid voice of public service and public policy.
[source]
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Mining For Jobs
The Journal Sentinel editorial board opined support for relaxed mining laws for a possible mining site near Ashland, Wisconsin. They believe less regulation on mining will create jobs, and if done properly won't hurt the environment.
They admit the Wisconsin outdoors are a major source of pride, tourism and income. But the editorial board feels we can deregulate whilst protecting the environment.
And, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, everyday would be Christmas.
By making mining laws weaker, we would be weakening environmental laws, and thus, harming the environment.
Yes, new mining would create jobs. But so would greener, sustainable projects, which wouldn't compromise the future of Wisconsin's environment. And, how long will the mining last? What are the guarantees? The article mentioned glowing projections for job numbers and pay, but will there be clawbacks or penalties for the mining company if they don't meet these goals?
The article states, "Too much red tape and too many bureaucratic delays can be deadly. That's why the state should change its laws." The "red tape" encumbered by mining companies was put in place because of the deadly consequences of their past actions. Mining is a filthy business. The disaster that occurred at WE Energy's plant (where hazardous materials ended up in Lake Michigan after a bluff collapse) in Oak Creek is another recent reminder that maybe we should take a pause before pushing forward with more potentially destructive legislation and deregulation all in the name of supposed job growth.
High unemployment should not force us into the dilema of weakening environmental laws for the sake of jobs. It's time we take a high-road strategy to development and jobs. This is the only planet we have.
They admit the Wisconsin outdoors are a major source of pride, tourism and income. But the editorial board feels we can deregulate whilst protecting the environment.
And, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, everyday would be Christmas.
By making mining laws weaker, we would be weakening environmental laws, and thus, harming the environment.
Yes, new mining would create jobs. But so would greener, sustainable projects, which wouldn't compromise the future of Wisconsin's environment. And, how long will the mining last? What are the guarantees? The article mentioned glowing projections for job numbers and pay, but will there be clawbacks or penalties for the mining company if they don't meet these goals?
The article states, "Too much red tape and too many bureaucratic delays can be deadly. That's why the state should change its laws." The "red tape" encumbered by mining companies was put in place because of the deadly consequences of their past actions. Mining is a filthy business. The disaster that occurred at WE Energy's plant (where hazardous materials ended up in Lake Michigan after a bluff collapse) in Oak Creek is another recent reminder that maybe we should take a pause before pushing forward with more potentially destructive legislation and deregulation all in the name of supposed job growth.
High unemployment should not force us into the dilema of weakening environmental laws for the sake of jobs. It's time we take a high-road strategy to development and jobs. This is the only planet we have.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Unregulated Insanity
Republicans are storming into power with their usual no taxes and deregulation bromides. Barry Ritholtz asks, "How did that work out [previously]?"
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Republican Ownership Versus Shared Prosperity
The Journal Sentinel just can't help itself. Whenever our ultra-conservative pretty-boys have more inane babble to spew, the Journal is right there to disseminate such garbage.
Paul Ryan's opinions were showcased in, The choice: welfare state or opportunity society. A whole bucketful of right-wing talking-points are thrown at the reader. Ryan, of course, is hoping some will stick.
He starts by informing us that the past election revealed how voters "would no longer tolerate a government that grows too large, too fast." If that were the case, they should have been voting Republicans out of office years ago. Spending growth, over Obama's first two years, has followed the same trajectory as the last few years of George W. Bush. The whole premise is incorrect. Government has not been growing any differently under President Obama than under W. Mr. Ryan has also renamed W.'s "ownership society" the "opportunity society". I wonder if that is because he knows citizens can no longer afford to own anything, but they could possibly have an opportunity...some day.
Of course the Democrats are behind this mythical growth and why "our most urgent concerns go unaddressed." Mr. Ryan doesn't mention that his party was in control of the government over the past decade. Why didn't they restrain spending and deficits? Why didn't they improve health care? Where are all the jobs their magical supply-side economics creates?
Ryan then AGAIN starts promoting his plan for America. A thoroughly debunked steaming pile to rival any steaming pile. Paul Krugman, the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities (CBPP), and Citizens For Tax Justice (CTJ) have all, point by point, completely discredited Ryan's delusional, business-friendly, market-oriented, typically Republican, "plan".
His next target is Social Security (SS). He is pleased we're looking into a way "to make Social Security sustainably solvent." One problem: Social Security is solvent! Completely solvent until 2037. After that, without any changes, it could pay 75-80 percent of benefits for decades. Any issue with Social Security is 50 years down the road, and it could be easily addressed by removing the cap on taxable income. Sadly, the 2 percent payroll tax holiday, in the latest round of negotiations, threatens future solvency (the payroll tax funds SS, among other programs) and doesn't provide much stimulus.
Paul also wants, "Hard caps on spending to help limit the growth of government and make an immediate impact on our ballooning deficits." He also thinks, "Lower tax rates are critical to economic growth." During recessions the only entity capable and/or willing to spend is the government. After trillions of dollars have been lost, along with millions of jobs, businesses nor citizens are going to rush to produce nor buy anything. And, empirical evidence shows there is no connection between low tax rates and growth. We grew better under Clinton, when taxes were higher, than Bush. Our greatest period of growth was the post-WWII era from the 1947 to the late 1973, when taxes were near the highest we've seen.
The next item to run the Ryan gauntlet is health care reform. Here Paul basically repeats the typical Republican lies bandied about during the debate and eventual passage of the health care reform bill. Again, he fails to remind us that Republicans haven't done anything for health care -especially to control costs - for decades. Bush's Medicare bill was a bribe to score senior votes, and it added billions in costs.
The talking points wouldn't be complete without Ryan mentioning the "explosive growth of government" casting "a shadow over economic activity" which worries "job creators" because of the unsure status regarding tax increases. For starters, a 3 to 4 percent tax increase is not that much; especially for those making over $250,000 per year (the top 1.5 percent of the population). Workers' wages have been stagnating for decades. The gap between their productivity and their wages has continually grown. Yet, I don't hear Mr. Ryan howling that we need to stabilize wages and purchasing power for workers. Second, businesses have more product than they can sell already. They are not going to hire more workers to produce more products that no one can buy. And, workers whom are underemployed or unemployed can't afford to spend.
In Mr. Ryan's district, the unemployment rate is hovering over 12 percent. Yet, Mr. Ryan was one of many who voted against extending unemployment insurance recently. As a Capital Times editorial remarks, Paul is too busy selling his snake oil and advancing his own interests to worry about his constituents.
Mr. Ryan closes by railing against (an imaginary) "Cradle-to-grave welfare state, in which more Americans depend on government than on themselves." For this to be true, unemployment would have to be over 50 percent of the working age population (benefiting from unemployment insurance) or the majority of the labor force would have to be employed by the government. Clearly, neither of these are reality. We can only assume hyperbole is being employed in this claim by Mr. Ryan, reaching desperately to make his point. Riling up the base, painting the false picture of America as a lazy, welfare-ridden country, with slouches garnering the majority of benefits from taxes.
Safety net programs accounted for 14 percent of the Federal budget in 2010. Still not the largest part of the budget, even during the second worst economic period in our history. It accounts for less of the budget than health care (21%), defense (20%), and Social Security (20%). We know his answer to health care is simply more privatization and deregulation. Defense, of course, is untouchable. The safety net programs have helped 15 million people stay out of poverty. A morally laudable task during these rough times. Surprisingly (not really), Paul doesn't have anything to say about tax loopholes, off-shore accounts, tax evasion, and other corporate welfare. Nope. Poor people are lazy bastards that must get it together. Wall Street and other well-connected crooks who simply bribed, threatened, and stole money from the government are beyond the scorn, and the attention, of the right-wing. Oddly the idea of limiting greed, corruption, tax evasion, and other nefarious practices of corporate America never enter the Republican equation for how we can fix budgetary issues.
He finished by repeating the Republicans' low tax, less regulation mantra, assuring us this is the foundation for growth. But just saying this, again and again, doesn't make it so. Higher taxes, government infrastructure spending, and tighter regulation brought the U.S. it's most prosperous and productive period ever. The supply-side experience has been a humongous failure. Workers are making less, retirement is more volatile, and health care costs have sky-rocketed. All this has occurred alongside growing inequality and a crumbling infrastructure. How can any one, after all this, still believe this emperor has any clothes?
For Further Reading:
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Unequal
The Gilded Age returns. Until wages again reward productivity rather than speculation (which has occurred alongside the post late-1970s increase in inequality) we will continue to experience, more frequently, economic boom-and-bust periods.
Poverty Measurement Studies and Alternative Measures from the U.S Census Bureau.
Poverty Measurement Studies and Alternative Measures from the U.S Census Bureau.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Drowning in Delusions
The list of privatization/deregulation failure is long. Health care, the airlines, military contractors, school choice, prisons, utilities, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, railroads, and on and on. The push for privatization is merely private industry taking the good paying jobs from unionized workers, replacing them with less-skilled and cheaper help, and rerouting the bounty from the productivity into the pockets of the well-to-do executives. It's government getting another department off the books. So when the rates rise and the service stinks, it's not governments fault, it's the market at work.
If the bailouts and overall dismal performance of the last 8 years should teach us anything, it's that markets do not always work efficiently, and the private sector is no better than the public sector.
The services we all enjoy cost money. There is no free lunch. As noted in earlier blogs, the reason we keep having these arguments and discussing selling off public entities is because many among us, the uber rich and the corporate sector, do not pay their fair share (here and here) in taxes.
The Journal- Sentinel has reported on Wally Morics's, Milwaukee's comptroller, idea to consider privatizing the city's Water Works. Their own concerns with such an endeavor are that there could be rate increases and there could be a foreign owner controlling our water. Both excellent points. An editorial from the previous day's paper raised some issues with the idea, but ultimately feels the idea "deserves a thorough vetting."
Some things are not meant to be run by a private, for-profit business. Especially local infrastructure.
Better ideas for capturing more funds for the city are (as also mentioned in the Journal-Sentinel article) getting our fair share from state shared revenue and from federal sources available. Also, the sales tax, as used to support Miller Park. If we can impose such for a baseball stadium, we can do the same for parks, light rail, etc. [The City itself doesn't impose such a tax at this time. But there is obviously some way to move such an idea forward.]
Another factor to keep in mind -- these are union workers at the Water Works. These are good jobs with decent pay and benefits. These workers spend and contribute to the local economy.
Economic development is supposedly all about attracting good jobs and increasing the tax base, yet a transfer of the Water Works to a multinational would undoubtedly undercut the unionized labor force and transfer most of the income out of the area (since it would no longer be locally owned). Workers with good paying jobs are what makes our restaurants, theaters, pubs, boutiques, and all of the other wonderful attractions in our city possible. Without the leisure spending these types of good jobs allow, our city would be a ghost town.
Let's stop selling off the commons we share among us, the things we call public goods. Each time we do, we end up paying more, the amenity is usually run down to the point of dilapidation and the private owner begins asking the public to subsidize the repairs. There are many examples of privatization schemes all around the country. The majority are failures. Let's just tell the privatizers to pay their fair share of taxes instead. But as far as privatizing our Water Works, "Thanks, but no thanks!"
For Further Reading:
Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water
Food & Water Watch
Great Lakes Water Wars
New Economy of Water
Overview of Water Privatization
Perils of Privatization
Privatization is no Panacea
Privatization Report
Profits, Profits Everywhere - And Soon Not A Drop To Drink
Seven Myths of Water Privatization
The UK's Railway Privatization
The Water Privateers
Water as a Human Right
Water Wars
If the bailouts and overall dismal performance of the last 8 years should teach us anything, it's that markets do not always work efficiently, and the private sector is no better than the public sector.
The services we all enjoy cost money. There is no free lunch. As noted in earlier blogs, the reason we keep having these arguments and discussing selling off public entities is because many among us, the uber rich and the corporate sector, do not pay their fair share (here and here) in taxes.
The Journal- Sentinel has reported on Wally Morics's, Milwaukee's comptroller, idea to consider privatizing the city's Water Works. Their own concerns with such an endeavor are that there could be rate increases and there could be a foreign owner controlling our water. Both excellent points. An editorial from the previous day's paper raised some issues with the idea, but ultimately feels the idea "deserves a thorough vetting."
Some things are not meant to be run by a private, for-profit business. Especially local infrastructure.
Better ideas for capturing more funds for the city are (as also mentioned in the Journal-Sentinel article) getting our fair share from state shared revenue and from federal sources available. Also, the sales tax, as used to support Miller Park. If we can impose such for a baseball stadium, we can do the same for parks, light rail, etc. [The City itself doesn't impose such a tax at this time. But there is obviously some way to move such an idea forward.]
Another factor to keep in mind -- these are union workers at the Water Works. These are good jobs with decent pay and benefits. These workers spend and contribute to the local economy.
Economic development is supposedly all about attracting good jobs and increasing the tax base, yet a transfer of the Water Works to a multinational would undoubtedly undercut the unionized labor force and transfer most of the income out of the area (since it would no longer be locally owned). Workers with good paying jobs are what makes our restaurants, theaters, pubs, boutiques, and all of the other wonderful attractions in our city possible. Without the leisure spending these types of good jobs allow, our city would be a ghost town.
Let's stop selling off the commons we share among us, the things we call public goods. Each time we do, we end up paying more, the amenity is usually run down to the point of dilapidation and the private owner begins asking the public to subsidize the repairs. There are many examples of privatization schemes all around the country. The majority are failures. Let's just tell the privatizers to pay their fair share of taxes instead. But as far as privatizing our Water Works, "Thanks, but no thanks!"
For Further Reading:
Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water
Food & Water Watch
Great Lakes Water Wars
New Economy of Water
Overview of Water Privatization
Perils of Privatization
Privatization is no Panacea
Privatization Report
Profits, Profits Everywhere - And Soon Not A Drop To Drink
Seven Myths of Water Privatization
The UK's Railway Privatization
The Water Privateers
Water as a Human Right
Water Wars
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