Norton Would Have Been Proud Of You!
Posted on 02/22/2008 10:58:19 AM PST by BGHater
Akron -- Mayor Don Plusquellic wants to sell the city's sewer system and use the money to send residents to the University of Akron for free.
Plusquellic said Thursday that his plan is to create a scholarship fund by selling the sewer system, which the city values at $100 million to $400 million. That would give the city enough money to cover tuition and fees for the university or a trade school in the city.
"This would be the kind of transformation that can reshape Akron for the rest of this century," Plusquellic said in his State of the City address Thursday. "We've invested in our school buildings. I say, 'Let's invest in our students.' "
Calling it an "Akron Plan for the 21st Century," Plusquellic said the plan would be similar to one in place in Kalamazoo, Mich., which pays all tuition and fees for students to attend state schools. Georgia also has an aggressive scholarship program for residents attending state schools.
Plusquellic's plan would differ in a few ways. At least $100 million would be needed from the sale to pay for the program. The other programs are covered by private donations and tax money.
Students must also apply for other scholarships. The city would make up the difference. Students may only use the scholarships at UA or trade schools in the city. Aides for Plusquellic said he wants to keep the money and students in the city. The university's tuition now stands at about $8,400 a year.
The city also bills this as the first attempt in the country to pay for such a program by selling or leasing a public service. City officials said many other cities, including Chicago, have sold or leased services to private companies successfully. Ohio has also discussed leasing the turnpike.
The Akron sewer system serves Akron only, unlike the regional sewer district, which serves Cleveland and 60 suburbs.
Akron Service Director Rick Merolla said he and Plusquellic have discussed selling the system for more than a year. Ideally, he said, a private company would maintain the system and bill residents while not affecting service in any way. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio would set rates, as it does for any private utility, he said.
"We would make sure services would not be reduced," Merolla said. "They may even be enhanced."
The city has not decided if it would sell the system or lease it. The system currently has a $41.5 million budget and debt of about $36 million.
Educators in the city applauded the plan.
"I think it is exceptionally bold," said UA President Luis Proenza. "It's the sort of thing that can transform the community."
Proenza said he expects the city to ask the university to administer the scholarship -- a task he welcomes.
"When you put out a carrot such as this to students, the students do better," he said. "The parents encourage the students to do better and the schools encourage the students to do better."
Sylvester Small, superintendent of the Akron school district, said the program would wipe out worries of heavy college loans and remove obstacles for the more than 1,500 graduates his district turns out each year.
"There are a lot of kids who would like to go to college but can't afford to pay that tuition," he said. "I think anytime you can offer a student the opportunity to go to college, it's a wonderful thing."
Dave Lieberth, a spokesman for Plusquellic, cautioned that this was a first step and that the city must resolve many issues. Plusquellic plans to select a committee in the next month to work them out.
Okay........but, then, what happens when all of the money from the sale or lease of the infrastructure of the city is spent, and then the city is broke? Where do they then turn to balance the budget, and maintain the spending on their college program?
Actually, it’s a rather interesting idea. I presume the sewers would now be run as a private enterprise?
What exactly does one do with a used sewer system?? Children’s parties??
Must go look up Mike Rowe’s number now...
I wonder how much rates will have to go up for the company to turn a profit in a reasonable amount of time, and will it be an American company that wan't to invest in it.
I thin it is a crappy plan....
Educators in the city applauded the plan.
I’ve got some sh*t to sell, if anyone is interested.
ED NORTON: "It happens every day in the sewer!"
Norton Would Have Been Proud Of You!
Yeah, and after the money runs out, or the company abandons the project, you won’t have a pot to poop in and you pi$$ed away the citizens money and infrastructure.
Notice the tight estimate on the selling price? (Yo, $ A hundo, maybe 4 hundo Million ... make me an offer.) I tell youse what, Mr. Mayor, gimme $20 Million cash and I'll solve all of the Rubber City's problems by whackin' half of your constituents. Don't look, I'm pickin' which half, OK!
The way things go in that town, somebody might beat me to it ... for nuttin!
Urinetown II ?
Are you from Akron?
What a sh*tty idea.
Who is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the sewer system in the future?
There is a whole new kind of nut running cities and counties in the USA.
This one takes the cake so far this year, but there are more than 10 months to go to find one whackier.
No, but know it well. It is an American tragedy ... along with a lot of that corner of Ohio. This whole region died off economically beginning in the '60s. Every year, fewer decent, family-supporting, neighborhood-maintaining jobs. Whole factories, their machinery, and of course the need for the men they employed, carted off to China or to Hell and gone.
Once a key part of industrial America, NE Ohio is rapidly devolving into a key part of the Democrat burger-flipping, healthcare, welfare plantation. Frankly, the GOP never seems to give a rat's patoot about this aspect of "globalization."
Also There is a whole new kind of nut running cities and counties in the USA. Imagine an American mayor even floating this idea ... and then the equally absurd $100-400 Million price range ... shows the man knows nothing about money. That's because he doesn't have to. He's used to raising taxes that drive out the decent people and the remaining Ohio businesses that support them.
The same thing happened here in Maine and in many other post-industrial regions.
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