Posted on 06/02/2007 12:08:00 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0XPQ/is_2004_June_14/ai_n6266716
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe; attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion; I’ve watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate.”
... That’s all I’m prepared to say.
The difference is that this article talks about leases on public infrastructure, not private property transactions.
Hmmm...
I don’t think the Japanese tried to put “noncompete” clauses in their purchase contracts, which forbade the state or any other private developer from building a similar development in the same region. Many of these road leases have those types of anti-competetive provisions embedded deep in the lease agreements.
I would be fine with outsourcing TXDot to Japan, but a Spanish company?
Thanks. Your post + Wikipedia have added to my knowledge base.
Never been a fan of infrastructure privitization....unlike business, which out-sources to save money...the govt out-sources to give their buddies lucrative deals, costing taxpayers more.
Sounds more like Business-Socialism
Sucker's deal. Bud Shuister stole, begged borrowed every penny he could from the National highway Trust Find for Pennsylvania roads and they are still the worst (especially the Pa. Tpk.).
trying to maintain that road will break anyone's bank, unless they charge tolls of $50.00 per mile.
They'll charge it, the drivers will pay it, and they still won't fix it ----
I love this idea. First, our government taxes us for projects and keeps them forever. It is like putting money under a mattress. Second, road building is full of graft and overruns. Third, government can’t seem to both regulate and manage the same thing. Let them lease the management of the roads and then watch and criticize them as much as they want. If ever there was somebody who needs to clean out the closets and have garage sales, it is our governments. They are pack rats.
And thenlend your support to stopthenau.org
The NAU is the elitist's plan to create a North American Union. We have to stop this now!
The key aspect of these asset sales is that the owner cannot take it with him. We can always seize the property from the buyer if they default on their side of the bargain. We can always force him to accept our settlement terms.
The questions being raised by those who oppose these sales entirely misses the point: the taxpayers must demand that their money be returned to them. The taxpayers must not allow government to view this as some type of honey-pot windfall jackpot to fund more big government.
The basic problem here is that the Interstate Highway System celebrated its 50th anniversary last year -- and much of the system has reached the end of its useful life (just in case anyone has been wondering why this has become a hot topic in the last couple of years).
The cost of upgrading and rebuilding that infrastructure is going to be enormous, and fuel tax revenues simply aren't going to be an adequate source of financing for this monumental effort.
Leasing a highway to a private operator allows a state government to focus its resources on doing the "heavy lifting" in rebuilding the infrastructure, while the day-to-day cost of operating/maintaining the asset will be passed on to a private operator who can do it far more efficiently than government can.
The fact that the most vocal opponents of these lease arrangements are usually public-sector labor unions is a good reason to at least consider these deals seriously.
People forget that America was always a good investment. Most of American industry at the turn of the last century was owned by Brittish and German investors.
The folks who are screaming most about this are probably assorted US labor unions and domestic firms that want to keep the contracts. If outsourcing to reputable firms helps us lowers the cost of rehab’ing the roads, it’s called efficiency AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED.
International trade and efficient specialization across businesses located peaceful democratic countries should be encouraged. We are not talking about illegal immigration, terror money from Saudi oil, or any of that, in this piece.
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
BTTT
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