Bing wants to privatize City Lighting

**rondinjp** · June-10-09, 07:49 AM

http://tinyurl.com/me7k8r

All I can say is it is about time. However, I doubt it will happen b/c the union will fight this till their death.

**oldredfordette** · June-10-09, 07:52 AM

Watch your bills rise rise rise! This is only the beginning. When Detroiters can least afford it, they're going to pay double for every single thing. Nicely done, Mr. Bing.

**rondinjp** · June-10-09, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by oldredfordette

Watch your bills rise rise rise! This is only the beginning. When Detroiters can least afford it, they're going to pay double for every single thing. Nicely done, Mr. Bing.

I don't get where you are going. Detroiters already pay through the roof for probably the worst lighting service in the nation. It is almost equivalent to a third world standard. I hope that Bing is able to pull this off as a private company will be more accountable and will probably actually produce lighting that works.

**kraig** · June-10-09, 08:12 AM

Once someone shoots out the lights or steals the wires from inside the pole, DTE isn't going to come back and fix the lights either.

**Detroit Stylin** · June-10-09, 08:31 AM

I think its a good idea...

**Crumbled_pavement** · June-10-09, 08:46 AM

NOOOOOOOO!!!! Privatizing will only shift the costs to another entity - in fact it will triple the costs. We need to grow the government as big as possible and provide as many jobs off the public dole as possible. If Bing needs to, then increase taxes to cover highering 1,000 more public works employees.

Government shouldn't be here to protect the people, government should be here to employ the people. Say yes to bigger government!!!

**rjk** · June-10-09, 08:50 AM

I don't think there's anyone who lives in Detroit or who has just driven in Detroit at night that would argue against the idea that there needs to be a major overhaul of the lighting system.

I don't know how much the Detroit lighting system would be worth to Detroit Edison, but the city would get a quick infusion of cash. The private entity would also be paying property tax.

I recall reading an article a few years ago in which the city was having a difficult time keeping people who have the expertise in the specialized electrical work to maintain a functional system. These people could make a lot more money in the private sector.

On the surface it seems like a good idea for the city. The status quo is not an option.

**DetroitHabitater** · June-10-09, 09:04 AM

Do any other major cities have privatized lighting?

**rjlj** · June-10-09, 09:05 AM

highering?

LodgeDodger · June-10-09, 09:09 AM

Does privatization really work? What are the statistics concerning privatization of city services?

I've become tired of "privatization" being the cure-all for what doesn't work.

Lorax · June-10-09, 09:11 AM

If you're going to privatize any of Detroit, it should be the parks system. Whether it's in conjunction with MPA, or a new organization, which can better maintain the many parks and their facilities.

Parks can either be used or not used, everyone uses public lighting, and it should stay exactly that- public. There are some things that should be handled be local government, and that's one of them.

In addidion, the schools should be regionalized.

Relieve the burden of dealing with these expenses, and there should be enough money to revamp the lighting system.

**daddeeo** · June-10-09, 09:20 AM

Although I am a union guy, I had to laugh when the union man who represents 20 of 200 workers says they are going to fight this. What can they do?
Turn off the lights that are already off?
This is a small battle Bing should be able to handle easily.Gets results and get reelected.

**Crumbled_pavement** · June-10-09, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by rjlj

highering?

Yes, because the new hires don't get high enough. We also need new drugs rules to stop harrassing employees if they decide to take a weed break. No more drug tests!

**Detroit Stylin** · June-10-09, 09:26 AM

lol CP.....wow

**scuola** · June-10-09, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Does privatization really work? What are the statistics concerning privatization of city services?

I've become tired of "privatization" being the cure-all for what doesn't work.

Privatization? It's simply called "business" to most people. These days it's all too apparent that only private companies, i.e., NOT the government, are accountable to anyone. GM and Chrysler are bankrupt as they should be. But what about the government that is supposedly helping them through bankruptcy? The government itself is effectively bankrupt! Detroit is effectively bankrupt. California is effectively bankrupt. It was privatization. i.e., business, that built this country in a day and age when the government wasn't the one we know today. Read biographies on Edison, Ford, Carnegie, JP Morgan, etc. Don't just read people's interpretation of what they did--read their biographies, you get a different light on who built America. And it wasn't the "public."

**Detroit Stylin** · June-10-09, 09:42 AM

Yes you are right.....the ones who REALLY built this country weren't considered human enough to be part of the 'public'...

LodgeDodger · June-10-09, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by scuola

Privatization? It's simply called "business" to most people. These days it's all too apparent that only private companies, i.e., NOT the government, are accountable to anyone. GM and Chrysler are bankrupt as they should be. But what about the government that is supposedly helping them through bankruptcy? The government itself is effectively bankrupt! Detroit is effectively bankrupt. California is effectively bankrupt. It was privatization. i.e., business, that built this country in a day and age when the government wasn't the one we know today. Read biographies on Edison, Ford, Carnegie, JP Morgan, etc. Don't just read people's interpretation of what they did--read their biographies, you get a different light on who built America. And it wasn't the "public."

I've asked for studies showing privatization is an effective tool; not your diatribe against government services.

**scuola** · June-10-09, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

Yes you are right.....the ones who REALLY built this country weren't considered human enough to be part of the 'public'...

Nice turn of phrase, but my point is--"the public" to government officials isn't you or me, it's a cadre of well connected politicians and their buddies who are vying for bloated contracts with little accountability on how it's spent.

I'm not crusading for big business here --but the idea that we have to have the government run the lights is silly.

Private companies know full well how to build a street light system that is vandal resistant and doesn't require 200 people to run it! How do I know? Because they've invented vandal resistant fixtures that apparently the city can't afford to buy after paying it's 200 light fixture employees. LodgeDodger, you want stats on that? My only point is if a private company doesn't do it, then they go out of business. And it's that sort of accountability that the city of Detroit does not have, but private business does have.

**rondinjp** · June-10-09, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Does privatization really work? What are the statistics concerning privatization of city services?

I've become tired of "privatization" being the cure-all for what doesn't work.

This was from a book from 1999 so I am sure it has increased since. If you want to read more about the ups/downs of privatization the book is titled "Encyclopedia of public administration and public policy."

The author of the book even nailed this article on the head by stating the biggest fight for privatization will come from public unions. The only downside I see with Detroit privatizing is more accountability. If you can call that a downside

**rb336** · June-10-09, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by scuola

These days it's all too apparent that only private companies, i.e., NOT the government, are accountable to anyone.

that is down-right laughable.

anyone who thinks DET or any other private entity is going to fix Detroit's lighting problem is seriously deficient in the cranium. From whom are they going to get the money? no, they would let it rot away while charging the city through the teeth for the privelege

**firstandten** · June-10-09, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Does privatization really work? What are the statistics concerning privatization of city services?

I've become tired of "privatization" being the cure-all for what doesn't work.

Interesting article about the experience in Ecorse. Granted we are talking huge size differences but the concept seemed sound. Besides we knew Mayor Bing was going to do this once he got into office so this is no surprise.

http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=2103

**Gistok** · June-10-09, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Does privatization really work? What are the statistics concerning privatization of city services?

I've become tired of "privatization" being the cure-all for what doesn't work.

Lodgedodger, you should be even more tired of a lighting system that isn't optimally functional 100% of the time...

**Hypestyles** · June-10-09, 12:02 PM

we'll see.. something has to be done about all the lights that aren't on, which encourages the criminal-minded to do their thing even more..
... will any potential contractors be detroit-based or have detroit residents on the payroll?

**Novine** · June-10-09, 01:41 PM

Ecorse? Even worse than Detroit if that's possible.

"Ecorse may be forced into receivership again"

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...ivership-again

"Private companies know full well how to build a street light system that is vandal resistant and doesn't require 200 people to run it! How do I know? Because they've invented vandal resistant fixtures that apparently the city can't afford to buy after paying it's 200 light fixture employees."

What facts are you using to back up these claims? Detroit's lighting system is a disaster. But the only guarantee I would expect from privatization is a system where the lights are on more often. There's no guarantee that it will cost any less getting it through DTE.