Privatization!?!?

[proud2BlibKansan]

About 20 years ago, the taxpayers here in two states approved the area's first bi-state tax which was used to renovate Union Station in Kansas City.

The renovation is beautiful. The community loves it. There are shops and offices and restaurants.

Today I went to a luncheon for Claire McCaskill at Union Station. I've been to several events at Union Station since it was renovated and I parked in the same covered lot where I have parked before next to the station. I remembered to bring my parking ticket inside so I could have it validated, just like every other time I have been to any event at Union Station.

When I got to the McCaskill event, I asked the woman at the door if she was validating parking tickets. She said she wasn't authorized to do that but I could go to the information stand in the main lobby. So after the luncheon, I went to the Information stand and was told the parking lot was now managed by a private company and they no longer validated parking tickets.

Meanwhile a group of people had come into Union Station and were handing out flyers asking the folks attending the McCaskill event to talk to Claire about saving Social Security. They were told by security that Union Station is private property and if they didn't leave they would be arrested for trespassing. As I walked by them, they were asking if they could stand on the sidewalk out front and the security guy said no. When I left they were still talking to security and a man who looked like he was management was there too.

It took 30 minutes to get out of the parking garage. There was only one attendant and two exits where you had to insert your ticket and then pay for your parking. There were at least 30 cars in front of me and it was a slow process. Since the charge was by the half hour, I got to pay for the 30 minutes I waited in line to get out.

So I guess this is just one more way the people get screwed. Get them to vote for a tax to renovate a facility and then put the facility under the control of a private corporation that makes money while they write new rules governing the use of the facility.

Only in America, eh?

[geardaddy]

1. I've been there.

It is a beautiful restoration.

That is the way Repugs work. Get someone else to pay to fix something up then take it over for their own profit.

[damntexdem]

2. I love Union Station.

I am sorry to see it desecrated in this way.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. The more I think about it the angrier I get

I feel ripped off.

[geardaddy]

9. I feel ya P2b

We get all sorts of shit here in Minneapolis that the taxpayers pay for and the private entities reap enormous benefits from.

[liberal N proud]

3. I was just in Union Station last week

Took some great pictures.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I guess you're lucky they didn't charge you.

[liberal N proud]

13. Wasn't much going on that day

It was late on a weekday and I was actually able to park in front of the station.

I was in the station right before they started the restoration and never really go to go back. You can almost feel the presence of all those ghost of yesteryear sitting in the waiting hall as train arrivals and departures are called out.

It must have been grand.

[Robbien]

4. Not only in America, but yeah, sickening whereever it happens.

And here in Chicagoland it is happening to just about everything. We pay for the venture, the city sells it off and we end up paying fees to the new owner.

[geardaddy]

5. Same here in Minneapolis

[moondust]

6. Of course more attendants would cut into profits/CEO pay.

Like customer service, they'll get rid of all their paid staff and make all the customers wait for the one poor bastard that's left to do the job of 10.

[ejpoeta]

10. you paid to restore it, it should belong to the people!! that is ridiculous.

of course no one probably paid any attention when they decided to give it to a private company to profit off of. I mean, sure if they want to have people pay to park there and to use it then the city/state should benefit from that since the people paid to fix it up!! wtf is wrong with people.

[KansDem]

11. Makes me wonder if this will be the fate for California's 70 newly-closed state parks

(Reuters) - California will close up to 70 of its 278 parks to help narrow its budget gap, officials said on Friday just a few days before Governor Jerry Brown unveils a revised plan to close a roughly $15 billion deficit.

The closures will save the government of the most populous U.S. state $33 million.

Among the sites slated to be shut is the restored Governor's Mansion in the state capital of Sacramento.

"These cuts are unfortunate, but the state's current budget crisis demands that tough decisions be made," state Resources Secretary John Laird said in a statement.

Laird also took a shot at Republican lawmakers who have stalled Democrat Brown's plan for extending tax increases that expire by summer.

"Hopefully, Republicans in the legislature will agree to allow California voters to decide whether we extend currently existing taxes or make deeper cuts to our parks," Laird, a former Democratic lawmaker, said.

--more--
Reuters

Maybe "developers" will buy a few and turn them into "gated communities?"

(And I've been to a few of these parks! :grr:)

[Lasher]

12. Neoliberalism gone wild.

I am so sick of privatization. In our state governor's race I'm trying to figure out which candidate is least likely to privatize anything so that I can vote for that person.

[The Wielding Truth]

15. I'm reminded of the Koch brothers and the new thermal plants in Wisconsin.

The line in the bill passed by corrosion and under protest that would open the no bid sale of the plants. The sale would be decided by Walker for any price he decided. Oh, corruption is a word called Republican.

http://cleantechnica.com/2011/02/21/wisconsin-union-busting-concealing-a-koch-brothers-power-grab/

[fredamae]

14. Personally? When I come across a situation like

this (it's a matter of time), I will leave, I will call the event organizer and advise them why I left. Not supporting these places after the fact might help if enough people "dig in"?

[unblock]

16. once upon a time they used to call privatization "patronage" and it was considered scandalous.

these days republicans and the media act like it's somehow virtuous to permit public officials to use the public till to pay off supporters with cushy contracts.

[Locrian]

17. parking meters in Chicago

Same thing with parking meters in Chicago. Now privately owned, I believe by Saudis(?)

Indiana toll road - ditto, thanks Evil span of Satan Mitch Daniels.

There's a whole chapter in Matt Taibbi's book "Griftopia" on the wholesale - sale - of the US to private companies. Many overseas.....