Posted on 09/22/2014 12:32:51 PM PDT by BradtotheBone
DETROIT (AP) Detroit's water department defended its shutoff policy Monday and warned that free service to people with unpaid bills could be "very devastating" to the bottom line.
Judge Steven Rhodes set aside Detroit's bankruptcy trial to hear evidence in a controversy that has been boiling all summer. A coalition representing low-income residents is asking him to suspend water shutoffs and restore service to people who have lost it.
The water department would be violating Michigan law and breaking agreements with bond holders if forced to supply water and ignore overdue bills, attorney Sonal Mithani said.
The "humanitarian concerns are very compelling" but fairness is critical, too, Mithani said, noting that 60 percent of Detroit residents are paying for water on time.
Opponents essentially are arguing that "every resident has the inherent right to free water," she said.
The water department stepped up shutoffs in March, and about 15,000 customers had service cut from April to June. Criticism and protests followed, even appeals to the United Nations.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Skinless chicken in the pot... you must be healthy . . da?
But we ARE having a special on hope and change, and unicorn farts.
Watta free, it come from the bleepin pipe.
This is heading towards single payer water.
...warned that free service to people with unpaid bills could be “very devastating”
And warn also that free money to people with unpaid bills should be garnished to pay those unpaid bills.
Shhese whatz wuth dez people peoplez
Wait until nobody works at those pumping stations and see where they get their water, or, don’t have the money for sanitizing the water? Cholera??
Huey P Long from Louisanna once famously said “a chicken for every pot”.
Of course, Huey was a big liberal back about 1927.
So, I was borrowing a phrase from an old liberal hack.
Funny. Ha
No, opponents are arguing that every resident has the right to make SOMEONE ELSE pay for it.
This is an indicator that Detroit’s final appointment with reality is imminent, and the remaining population will be on a near-vertical learning curve.
Nothing is free and I’m all for everyone paying for what they use but I’m also curious about increases in the water rates. If they built an infrastructure for 2 million people, but the population is now down to 700,00, then those 700,000 are paying nearly three times as much just to cover the fixed costs.
... and free food, and free housing, and free medical care, and free booze, and free lottery tickets, and free ...
Spoken like a true Gibsmedat and that is a lot of the problem with Detroit. They think a money tree grows somewhere and they deserve a piece of that pie. It is owed them.
“Who do they think will pay for labor to run facilities that pump water? Why hasnt that been brought up to these people who demand free water?”
Most of them don’t even understand the concept of having a job, except as a means to grift even more money from the man.
Do they have the inherent right to 40psi in their plumbing?
May very well be able to pay the water bill with an EBT...but that would cut into their supply of 40oz Malt Liquor.
Free gallon of water with each taxpayer funded abortion.
EBT? That's for beer and lotto tickets!
I realize that was sarcasm but....they can pay the water with the EBT. They can go to any atm or get cash at the grocery store or....and get their Hiindeys down and pay the water bill. They all Chose NOT to pay the bill.
Oh, I know. :-)
One of my favorite authors expanded that particular phrase into a “skinless chicken for every pot”, because his liberal character in the book wanted to ban everything that tasted good. hehe
Make EBT cards NOT able to work in strip clubs or for lobster for your dog and enable them to work for water...
easy
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