[Eric in the Ozarks]

It would be interesting to know who or what is getting the proceeds from the ports sales at each location. Do the various states where the ports are located get the monies ? Do the city governments get paid back for their investment in acquiring the land ? Is this an asset sale or on-going business sale ? If federal fund were used to benefit the ports, do taxpayers benefit when the sale takes place ?
I am bothered when a see publicly traded utilities (and sometimes hospitals) privatized via sale or transfer of stock when the federal government (taxpayers) provided some benefit (underwriting loans, tax advantages, etc) and then a group of insiders take checks to the bank.
The ports are most likely monopolies. How did they get that way, is there nearby competition and why are they for sale ?

[pierrem15]

" am bothered when a see publicly traded utilities (and sometimes hospitals) privatized via sale or transfer of stock when the federal government (taxpayers) provided some benefit (underwriting loans, tax advantages, etc) and then a group of insiders take checks to the bank."

I live in Illinois. You mean it's not supposed to work like that?/sarcasm.

You're right: so called 'concessions' or 'franchises' run by private vendors are not usually subject to the same scrutiny as contracts where the government pays out cash instead of receiving it. There's little transparency regarding whether a given concession was obtained lawfully or whether the bid was low-balled in exchange for payola, political contributions, hiring relatives or even sexual favors (there's a case here in Chicago based on a restaurant concessionaire who was-- literally-- screwing the contract supervisor).

[isthisnickcool]

I am bothered when a see publicly traded utilities (and sometimes hospitals) privatized via sale or transfer of stock when the federal government (taxpayers) provided some benefit (underwriting loans, tax advantages, etc) and then a group of insiders take checks to the bank.

It's also bad when someone makes major bucks off the taxpayers who get suckered in to financing sports stadiums.

[TheLion]

Haven't seen a breakdown of who gets what money for this deal.

It is about port management....not a sale of the port.