Indiana

Give Me Something to Work With

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

I think we?re all agreed here the proposed $2 billion transfer of the city?s water and wastewater facilities is the biggest policy/political move of the Ballard administration.  It is fraught with a lot of risk, but also a lot of reward.  There?s going to be a lot of talk in the days ahead, but as we go forward with the discussion, I think it would be nice to keep a few things in mind.

Healthy skepticism of the deal is okay.  There should be with something this massive.  City officials have an obligation, which I think they will live up to, to sell this idea to the public and ratepayers.   They should answer all questions about rate increases, accountability, and how will the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission allow Citizens $426 million payment to be spent or are there pitfalls the city hasn?t planned for yet?  These questions, as well as many others, should be asked.

All I ask critics of the proposal is to do two things.  First, read it.  Start with the Memorandum of  Understanding.  Hint, it’s 21 pages, single-spaced.  Second, if you don?t like it, offer up an alternative.  It doesn?t take a lot of synaptic activity to call the agreement a ?backroom deal? but then what?  The emotionally unstable ranting of the conspiratorial madman is cute for about five minutes, then what?   If you think this is a bad idea, fine.  What do you have to replace it?

Where?s your plan to address the city?s $4 billion water/sewer infrastructure problem?  What?s your plan to repair streets, sewers and sidewalks with limited, actually shrinking, tax dollars which are the result of tax caps and declining revenue?  What?s your plan to mitigate rates which are rising due to an original water deal which froze rates while the need to fix the infrastructure continued to grow?   What’s your plan to deal with the water company’s near $950 million debt?  What part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the city and Citizens Gas do you have concerns?  Would you have preferred a more cash up front and less rate protection down the road?  In other words, whatcha got?!

Matter of fact, I will make space available for anyone with thoughtful questions, concerns and an alternative plan.  Because if you are coming to the table with serious questions for a grown up discussion about this city?s infrastructure, then you deserve to have a voice.   If all you?re doing is ?talking crazy? then please keep it to yourself, because you?re probably the only person who?s taking you seriously.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on March 15, 2010 (boomark / email).