How taxpayers are revolting against privatization

State and local governments are starting to end the looting of the taxpayer by for-profit corporations.<br /><br />So says the <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/">Center for Media and Democrac</a>y, our indispensable friends who have done so much to expose ALEC as an escort service for corporations and state lawmakers. ALEC relentlessly peddles its influence to turn state and local services over to predatory corporations.<br /><br />In a recent <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/06/12153/pushback-against-privatization-across-country">post</a> by Brendan Fischer, CMD tells us that voters are trying to restore control over public services in New Jersey, Texas, California and Kentucky: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">In New Jersey, legislation to ensure that public services won't be privatized unless it will result in actual savings for taxpayers has passed both chambers of the legislature. In Texas, a bipartisan coalition is fighting against a private prison in Montgomery County, and Kentucky is rejecting private prisons altogether. And in Fresno, California, voters rejected a proposal backed by the city's popular mayor to privatize trash collection services.</blockquote>Here's what's happened:<br /><ul><li>In New Jersey, a first-in-the-nation bill to crack down on predatory privatizers is on Gov. Chris Christie's desk.  It would ban privatization contracts that save money by cutting services or raising rates, and requires companies to pay workers comparable wages and benefits. </li><li>In Texas, Tea Party groups are joining with others to oppose GEO Group's purchase of a prison in Montgomery County.</li><li>Kentucky is not renewing its contract with the private prison company Corrections Corporation of America, the fifth contract cancellation for CCA in a month.</li><li>Fresno, Calif., voters this month rejected a plan to outsource trash service for the city's 500,000 residents to a private company, which would cut pay for the workers. Opponents of privatization were outspent 3-to-1, but they prevailed anyway.</li></ul>Donald Cohen, who chairs <a href="http://www.inthepublicinterest.org/">In the Public Interest</a>, said: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">...when taxpayers see what they lose by handing over control of their roads, prisons and other services, they don’t want anything to do with outsourcing.</blockquote>Yup.

How taxpayers are revolting against privatization

State and local governments are starting to end the looting of the taxpayer by for-profit corporations. So says the Center for Media and Dem...

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