Comments on Advance Indiana™: Ballard Adminstration Wants Another 35% Water Hike!

Please send your comments to the IURC; I think tha...

2009-09-30T21:12:05.366-05:00

Please send your comments to the IURC; I think that they actually pay attention to well-reasoned arguments and concerns.

The problem with the water company is that the pri...

2009-09-30T18:18:24.737-05:00

The problem with the water company is that the privatization agreement was not entered into to save residents money and to achieve a more efficient operation; it was a one-sided agreement conceived and executed by some of the city's most powerful lobbyists on behalf of Veolia. There was every reason for Ballard to undo that agreement upon taking office, but these people started pouring cash into his campaign coffers and guess what, Ballard is their friend. He even went along with paying millions more to Veolia that the IURC blasted as unjustified. Why does the IURC have to do the job the administration is supposed to do? People don't understand just how corrupted the administration of this city has become as a result of the influence peddling activities of these people.

Paul, I concur that there is no point to privatiz...

2009-09-30T18:03:10.376-05:00

Paul,

I concur that there is no point to privatization if competition is not going to be encouraged.

Ultimately, it comes down to government not doing lots of things it shouldn't - including granting monopoly territories and privileges.

Imagine if the only provider of phone services we had was still AT&T? Think the Internet would be as widespread? Think long distance would be 5 cents a minute or less? Think you'd have a dozen cell phone companies to pick from (of course not! Just AT&T!). Even today, there are areas were high costs have not come down because AT&T held a government sponsored monopoly on running copper to homes and businesses for about 100 years.

I'd so love to be able to buy water, gas or electricity from my choice of at least two providers for each. Off grid is pretty much the only option to escape the monopolies in Indy though.

SS, I've always said the Libertarians need to...

2009-09-30T16:59:29.579-05:00

SS,

I've always said the Libertarians need to curb their desire for private ownership/management. I used to be gung ho for privatization, but I've seen too often it not be used for efficiency but to give some politically-connected company a monopoly over the provision of a service. Monopolies don't equal efficiency.

Indy is rapidly becoming a place I don't want ...

2009-09-30T16:17:04.114-05:00

Indy is rapidly becoming a place I don't want to live.

I'm suddenly glad my neighborhood doesn't ...

2009-09-30T16:09:48.548-05:00

I'm suddenly glad my neighborhood doesn't have city water.

Sounds like a mismanagement of funds to me. I thi...

2009-09-30T15:23:42.474-05:00

Sounds like a mismanagement of funds to me. I think an audit is in order to figure out where all past funds went!

I actually agree with you for a change, Wilson.

2009-09-30T14:34:59.975-05:00

I actually agree with you for a change, Wilson.

This shuffle-around of the city's water and se...

2009-09-30T14:23:43.543-05:00

This shuffle-around of the city's water and sewer assets and liabilities sounds like "getting something for nothing". Too good to be true!

Who gains? Allegedly the city budget with $200 of "free money". Private investors will make a sufficient profit. Will the citizen ratepayers have to cough up all this "found money" on water bills? Most likely! How else?

Another reason why government should be trusted wi...

2009-09-30T14:20:42.979-05:00

Another reason why government should be trusted with owning or managing as few assets as possible.