Bioethics – our plant
OK—obscure subject line. But there is a Town Council meeting tonight, Aug. 11, and that’s a perfect time to engage council about the WPCA impending sale.
Is that sale a good idea? Is it really even good politics? Not if it provokes a firestorm of opposition, sweeping away the current majority on council, next year.
Should privatizing town assets really happen without a town-wide forum, indeed, without a referendum?
Is it prudent or even legal, to take the $5 million reserve fund of the sewer system, and kick it over to town hall to balance the budget, when there are any number of contingencies under which that money will be needed by the WPCA, such as: water / sewer line upgrades and repairs, to cast-iron pipes that are in many cases 95 years old and already fracturing; upgrades to handle increased capacity needs, such as in Lordship, or where high-density housing is in play (e.g. 1111 Stratford Ave., or ‘in’ Avalon Bay); or just the next serious storm surge that we now know is only a matter of (not very much) time?
We have a chance to ‘flip’ a couple of councilpersons, who do not want to be on record as ‘voting’ to sell this valuable asset, when and if everyone becomes aware of the implications of loss of control over rates, over re-investment of profits, and perhaps the embarrassment of a violation of State of Connecticut rules regarding ‘Authorities’ such as the wpcA (‘A’ for Authority—did you know that?).
Stephanie Philips has already spoken up (though I’ve not seen it in the press), as did Joe Paul (ditto) on the hit to the Town’s bond rating once the reality of asset-selling is factored into the determination of how well the town is governed.
This is our time!
Mayor wants to do this sale, and some will say it is not only already ‘baked in’ but already a done deal (May budget vote). But that is not true!
This could be the issue on which the entire ALEC/ACCE effort (Koch Brothers’ ‘better government’ through privatization and union-busting) stumbles…or not.
After all, we’re not privy to whatever tactical advice was dispensed in Dallas last week to our Little Lord…
Please help get the word out, concerning tonight’s Council meeting. If you want to speak up at the meeting, sign up at 6:30 for a 6:45 start.
Many thanks.
Tom Yemm