I really did think that State Rep. Karyn E. Polito, R-Shrewsbury, was able to see past the end of her nose and beyond the next campaign season. Apparently not, as her comments quoted in the paper indicate:
“We need to look at doing things in a different way,” Ms. Polito said. “Merging the Turnpike Authority with Mass Highway is imperative. You also need to think about your assets and look at ways to better manage them. By selling or leasing them, it could yield revenues that can then be used to pay down your debt.”
This is such a fundamental flaw, common enough in elected officials, that some revenue can relieve debt via privatization, and thereby "save the taxpayer money". It's just a lie... over the long term. The "taxpayer" may not have their taxes go up, but that's not the only thing they have to pay for. If the Turnpike, for instance, is sold or leased to a private business, they will then be adding the burden of profit to the tolls for using the road. It will, as demonstrated time and time again across the country, make the tolls go much higher than they would have otherwise.
The wider the coverage to the public, the worse this formula works out for the public.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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I have a serious issue with the "sell assets for quick cash" mentality. The other thing that's going on here is a spineless approach to taxation. Republicans can't endorse higher taxes or fees, but they can endorse outsourcing the taxing power of government to non-governmental entities. The State takes a pounding by raising Fees on the Pike, but if it's a private corporation the politicians don't have to worry about losing a vote. Selling the assets We The People paid to build and We The People paid to maintain simply because you don't want to admit that the state needs more money and that means higher fees and taxes is horrifying.
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