Alabama Residents Furious Over Possible Rate Increases: ‘If They Let This Stuff Happen They Are Going to Get the Biggest Riot the South Has Ever Seen’
- Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:20pm by
Becket Adams
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“These people are going to end up rioting about this,” says Sheila Tyson, a community activist in Jefferson County, Ala. “If they let this stuff happen they are going to get the biggest riot the South has ever seen . . . I can see it coming.”
That’s a pretty serious prediction. What could possibly start a riot that big?
She’s talking about the likelihood of Jefferson County increasing its water and sewage bill rates.
Oh. Is it really all that bad?
“If the sewer bill gets higher, my light might get cut off and if I try to catch up the light, my water might get cut off. So we’re in between. We can’t make it like this,” says Tammy Lucas, a Birmingham resident who has been affected by a “financial and political scandal that has brought one of the most deprived communities in America’s south to the point of what some local people believe is collapse,” reports the BBC.
Lucas’ monthly water and sewage rate has managed to quadruple in the past 15 years. Currently, her bill is $150 a month, which she pays for by using her $600 social security check.
“We need to keep the water running because we’re women,” she says. “We need to take baths. I try to pay the sewer bill and the water bill together and then what little I got left I try to put on my lights. I got to have lights.”
One of her Birmingham neighbors, who wished to remain anonymous, has already decided between lights and water: His home now has a porta-potty next to it.
Why?
“He says he finds it cheaper to buy drums of water from a [gas] station and pay a sanitation company about $14 a month to remove waste from his ‘porta-potty’ than pay the combined sewage and water rate bill, which some months can reach $300,” reports the BBC.
“Most people who live here are on social security,” he said. “They can’t spend this kind of money on sewerage. It’s just outrageous. It’s too high. I pay my sewerage bill, then I’m going to slack on my groceries. Then what am I going to eat?”
So how did this all start?
Sewage and water rates (on average) have increased faster than inflation because the federal government has demanded that cities replace their “worn-out” sewer facilities to meet federal clean-water standards.
When a federal judge forced Jefferson County to upgrade its outdated sewer system, officials decided to finance the project with bonds.
“Outside advisers suggested a series of complex deals with variable-rate interest . . . Loan payments rose quickly because of increasing interest rates as global credit markets struggled, and the county could no longer afford its payments,” Bloomberg reports. That’s why Jefferson County residents have seen a 329 percent increase in their rates over the past decade and a half–the county has been trying to finance these new facilities.
The sewage system was supposed to cost $300 million. However, since the project started in 1996, the costs have risen to $3.1 billion after various problems and a series of bond and derivatives deals fell through in 2008.
Not surprisingly, a large amount of corruption was involved.
JP Morgan Securities and two of its former directors have been fined for trying to bribe to Jefferson County employees and politicians in a bid to win business financing for the sewer project. Six former Jefferson County commissioners have been found guilty of accepting bribes, along with 15 other state officials.
As a result of the bad investments and government corruption, current county commissioners have been forced to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy (which gives the county the right to stop paying some bills temporarily so that it can organize its finances), the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
Of course, the county bondholders–who could lose as much as $4.5 million a month in repayments–are fighting the commissioner’s attempt to file for bankruptcy. Creditors argue that state law doesn’t allow the county to file for Chapter 9.
“Lenders claimed during a hearing and in court documents that Alabama law permits bankruptcy only for bond debt, and Jefferson County has a different type of debt called warrants,” Bloomberg reports.
Thomas B. Bennett, a Birmingham bankruptcy judge, has said it was his “inclination” to seek guidance from the Alabama Supreme Court by sending the justices a number of technical questions about state law, according to the same report.
Tony Petelos, the county manager appointed by the new commissioners to deal with the county’s financial woes, says it could take years to get the area back on stable footing.
“The public has lost confidence in Jefferson County over the last decade and a half, because of the mismanagement, because of the corruption. We have got to rebuild that confidence,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Petelos has come across this problem. When he was Republican mayor of Birmingham’s neighboring city of Hoover, Petelos attended a presentation by a bank that was trying to sell the city on the exact same bonds Jefferson County later bought.
“I turned to my finance director and said, ‘did you understand that?’ He said, ‘no I didn’t’. So I said, ‘we had better not buy it then’,” Petelos said.
Unfortunately, Jefferson County bought the bonds and filing for bankruptcy may be its only hope in dealing with the massive debt.
This is where increases in the sewage and water rates come into play: before the county filed for Chapter 9, it had struck a deal with its creditors to have the combined water and sewage rates go up by 8.2 percent a year for the next three years. However, since filing for bankruptcy, the rate is probably going to go up by 10 percent or even as much as 25 percent, according to court appointed receiver John Young.
“When you look at the amount of debt, and you look at the revenue that is produced from the rate payers, there is no way it is going to come down,” said Petelos.
The thought of water and sewage rates being increased has some Jefferson County residents infuriated.
Community activist Sheila Tyson, who was mentioned in the above, says soaring water and sewage rates have “traditionally hit the poorest parts of the county hardest” because “wealthier” county residents can afford to instal septic tanks on their property.
Pictured: Sheila Tyson (Source: BBC)
“This is not even a race issue, if I’m telling the truth,” said Tyson. “It‘s just so happens that it’s affecting black people. It’s a class issue. They don’t give a doo-doo about poor people period.”
So what does the “community activist” think should be done to fix the problem?
“Somebody from Washington D.C. needs to come down here and take these sewer bills to where they are affordable for the people in these districts. Injustice – that’s all this is. They need to come down here and fix it,” Tyson said.
Because bureaucratic regulations and political corruption created this mess in the first place, Tyson’s suggestion that D.C. intervene is probably the last thing Jefferson County needs.
(h/t Huffington Post)
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Comments (327)
Lib Whisperer
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:12pmAccourse, if you cut back on FOOD, you’ll cut back on sewage automatically. Just sayin’.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:46pmand cutting back on the sewer bill will help her with her water bill and then she will soon be forced to cut back on the toilet paper she uses,because some nut job climate group will say it is harmful,then she will really be screwed because she will not be able to use the toilet,wipe her butt or take a bath,but she will vote democommie again.
Report Post »Sunset1221
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 6:08pmElderly should not have to choose between FOOD and water or FOOD and lights or FOOD and medicine
Report Post »How would you like to go without food ? Why don’t we just starve them to death. Just Sayin !
I hope you’re not serious.I say cut welfare for all these people with all these kids and no babydaddy.
One of the criteria for welfare is nobabbydaddy.Makes me sick.NO ONE has control over getting
old,but it is not the Govts. responsibility to support someone’s kids.Assitance should be for
elderly ,blind and crippled and if unemployed for a set time not a LIFETIME
Darla_K
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:49pmlmol commonsense :)
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 11:02amMaybe “poor people” should stop voting Democrats into office who keep increasing regulations and fees to gather more tax dollars. Remember Obama said utility cost would skyrocket….welcome to obamanomics.
Report Post »Livia
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:03pmSunset, cut off the money to all the illegals and their spawn, that would save the county and the state a right good amount then. It’s a crying shame when any government be it local, county, state or federal is so damn corrupt that the citizens that pay for it are losing everything they have up to and including pride.
Report Post »Deckle
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:07pmThat is an outrageous amount a month for a water bill.
Report Post »Atomicstorm
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 11:18pmFriend of mine just got a water bill (error) for $1700. Our water/sewage rates here doubled, we even got a letter explaining why, and my bill doesn’t even break $40.
I truly doubt she has to pay $150 a month unless she was behind a few months and doesn’t know how to do math.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:25amIsn’t Ocommie paying for her mortgage and her gasoline?
Report Post »suffolkva
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 7:34pmLook Mr. Atomicstorm smartguy, my water/sewage bills were in the neighborhood of 25-30 dollars every TWO months not all that long ago.. maybe 10 years ago. During the time since then, this bill has increased to $90 each month. This is in Suffolk, VA. You don’t have to doubt that, because it is true and I aam not behind on any payments. It is very possible that in some places they have had extra problems of many sorts including mismanagement, curruption, and the bad economy as they are forced to upgrade their water treatment facilities to meet new federal regulations. So, maybe you should check your facts before you go writing stuff like that.
Report Post »libertyisfundamental
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:18amYa think…. Try southern Florida.
Report Post »AlabamaBlaze
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:19amIt’s a for real amount. I’m from Birmingham area and that is the average bill!!!! Corruption!
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:07pmI wonder which city in the United States will be taken out with pitchforks first? I know one thing…The Dems will be in control when it happens.
Report Post »Shane74
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:59pmDon’t be blinded by party ideology. It’s BOTH parties that are robbing us blind right now.
Or you can just believe it’s only Democrats who are getting filthy rich in Washington, with their insider trading schemes that sometimes require industries to suffer, in order to make a profit. Nope. No Republicans doing that. No republicans helping to pass the NDAA, which they will use on us once people wake up to the robbery that’s happening, at the behest of the FED.
When the mask peels off, many of you are going to be so confused. I can already hear the cries of “why didn’t we see this coming? They were supposed to be on our side!”
Oh well, the puppet stage is alive, and well. Thanks to it’s audience, who clamors for more…
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 6:53pmTo Shane74:
Report Post »Amen. Different sides of the same coin. Both parties are generally steered by big govt. progressives and authoritarians. I‘ve all but stopped watching Bill O’Reilly because he insists our representatives and leaders must be professional, career politicians. That’s why Herman Cain had to go (and I‘m not a Cain supporter other than liking he wasn’t a career politician); He is not adept at the game of politics and is not one of the chosen few. I guess ratings and scandal matter more than effective and diminished govt. Republican potentates have neither the patience or guts for a true conservative leader. The big gub’ment trough is just too tempting to turn from now. The old guard GOP respond with either disdain to any challenge to new comers who advocate for smaller govt. or lie that they too are really just small govt. lovers. Hell, some of the GOP bigwigs were just as annoyed by Tea Party members as any Democrat.
The logic that you support the most electable R even if he/she is a big govt. progressive makes voting an exercise in futility. Once again, the road to hell is pave with good intentions… and greed.
NOBAMA201258
Posted on December 26, 2011 at 12:55amWash,D.C. should be the 1st
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:07pmThis is so typical of city’s putting off needed city repairs for years and years so someone can get elected or stay in power when it finally come time it MUST get done it ends up costing 5X or 10X what it should of cost back 10 years ago as they say just kicking the can down the road for someone other than them to pay for.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:30pmBe reasonable, of course a corrupt politician is going to put off infrastructure repairs & upgrades, because most of the voting public will not notice.
The money the pol ‘saved’ will be used for nepotism & vote buying.
Report Post »Worldsapart
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 9:08pmCan anyone say EPA?
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:57pmWe need to go back to basics with the people we vote in, get rid of the muffins and all the goodies. If they need to fly somewhere, pay for it yourself. If you want a meeting take turns bringing the coffee or donate. Go back to basics and quit leading a lavish life style in Washington on the tax payers dime. Get this country out of debt you fool politicians.
Report Post »wisehiney
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:04pmOccupy the woods!
Report Post »Zpro
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 5:13pmLove it! We Are the 99 Trees.
Watch The 99 Percent http://goanimate.com/movie/09ctUSJB8p_U?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0GVVTfOjymE4
Report Post »REVerse
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 8:23pmLOL @ Wisehiney.
Report Post »Female
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:33amBears in the woods aren’t having municipal billing problems there! That would be a protest…no more revenue for sewer!
Dig a hole and squat: which is really what the politicians have been telling you. Or did they say bend over and pay; while they were shopping in the suit store in NYC for over $105,000?
Hello, Community action lady, violence and DC is not the answer but form a case action suit with all the people affected both poor, middle, and rich, name names of everyone who profitted publically plus proven through criminal actions, confiscation of everything they own, redistribute to pay the legitimate bills (not their posh retirement benes) of community and park their butts next madoff!
Report Post »Fredhead
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:15pmOccupy the woods, is an excellent idea for all of the supposed environmentally consious lefties!
then again they would probably cry and whine about the conditions there, and the lack of public utilities.
Go figure.
– - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
Report Post »I’ll keep the USA
and y’all can keep the change
Hank Jr.
hope he don’t mind me borrowing his quote
wisehiney
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:04pmMake like ows, crap outside! (or on cop cars)
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:30pmCrap on the mayor’s car ( he caused it). leave the police alone.
Report Post »Zpro
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 5:16pmGreat Idea!
Watch The 99 Percent http://goanimate.com/movie/09ctUSJB8p_U?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0GVVTfOjymE4
Report Post »countryfirst
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:03pmBarry said that under his administrations regulations, energy would skyrocket, he forgot to mention water and sewer. Life in general cost more with this fool in charge. Maybe the sheeple will wake up.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:17pmyou are exactly right he did say that, i wish the media had the balls to play that tape over and over again, because things are only going to get worse as this administration try’s to take over the entire country.
Report Post »proudinfidel54
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:53pmThey should do a sort of video collage where the would play Obama saying “things will necessarily skyrocket”, then switch to this interview, then back to Obama’s statement, then to another example of his skyrocketing policies, then back to his starement, on and on all the while playing the song “We Are The World” in the background.
Report Post »Stopit
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 10:30pmUnder federal regulations “energy usage” includes water.
Report Post »Moozmom
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:00pmNever Fear! Obamaman is Here! Yes, step right up and get your government subsidies for your land your house is built on and all natural resources on that land to the govenment at your death or when the government wishes to claims its rights.
Report Post »Vote for Obama? You lost!
Slayer
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:59pmOnce again, Democrats control an area and the poorest of the poor suffer the most.
Report Post »Bill in Texas
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:35amThis county needs to stop messing around and get into Bankruptsy Court. If corruption and missdeads by lenders led to this situation, the county is within it‘s right’s to have their debt relieved or refinanced at a lower rate. Doesn’t that make sense?
Report Post »smackdown33
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:59pmTheft and corruption, the stuff all governments are made of. That’s why we keep them small.
Report Post »FNG
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:36pmIt’s why we SHOULD make them (local gov’ts) small.
That’s what you meant, isn’t it?
Report Post »Dman12
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 5:19pmNo *******, he means the Federal government (big government) if you would have read the article you would have noticed that is was because of federal regulations and standards that forced the city to buy a $300 million (1.3 billion) worthless water system. Why is this federal government business?
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:58pmWOW those are some insane high rates boy is the city gouging there customers those rates are way high and should be investigated.
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:48pmThat is why people are dumping garbage along side the road, they don’t want to pay to dump it at the dump. I saw on TV last night in Alaska where hunters are leaving buckets of human waste behind when they leave the area. It is disgusting but people will do what they have to.
Report Post »Suchy
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:53amA judge made the county hire an overseer @ $500.00 per hour. He wants to raise the rates 25%
Report Post »The former mayer will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. A couple of county commissioners
are there also. Its a mess.
coryf076
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:57pmWhere I live in WA they are doubling the rates from $65 to $130 over a 5 year period from 2010 through 2015. It is outrageous…it’s become their new slush fund.
Report Post »OneTermPresident
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:57pmThey could all be on septic systems easily. For what they are paying for sewer and water I’m sure the monthly payments on a septic tank and drain field would be no more and less in a lot of cases. Once it‘s paid off it’s clear sailing except for a small fee and 2 septic tank pumpings in 10 years. I’ve got to believe some Well Companies would be interested in helping with the financing.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:16pmI would guess that if they started to do that .. they would be deemed illegal .. they have tried to force those of us with septic systems onto the country sewers where I live (in the south) for YEARS. We have county water .. but are not on the sewer system.
Report Post »Dinkiecb
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:32pmCould move out of the county..abandon the county … and let em see how their gonna repo the sewer lol
Report Post »FNG
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:43pmnaaaa… A five-gallon bucket from Home Depot is a whole lot cheaper, as well as easier to install. It’ll be fashionable soon enough.
Pay attention to what your city council is doing and react appropriately… Well, it’s too late now.
Enjoy!
Report Post »Hickory
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:55pmBirmingham is the next Detroit. It has been run by black liberals who have sucked the system dry. There is no money because it has all been stolen. A friend of mine who lived in Jefferson county for years says that Larry Langford and his cohorts have played musical chairs in the county and city administration for over 25 years. In that time, they have smoozed and scammed the city and county of hundreds of millions of $. The city is completely bankrupt along with the county. All residents are being pushed over a cliff by the greedy crooks left slithering along the streets. In my opinion, most of that state is going down the same rat hole.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:01pmThis is what Christie was warning about last year and the 60min piece that these localities, counties would all be seeing the bills pile up at the end of this year. Something has to give and the people are being pushed beyond their limits. I’ll be turning over 7400 this year in taxes just to the county alone. It sucks but I made a committment and the good Lord is helping me make good on it for now.
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:07pmAnd if i read this correctly, a Republican has now been brought in to try to clean up the mess the Democrats have made. And once again the people think the federal government can make it all go away. Do they not understand the federal government is close to bankrupt itself? Probably not.
Report Post »Patrick Henry
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:51pmObama said electricity would rocket to 300% before his election! Hot it could rocket to 300%, listen to him. He scared me then, but now I am stocked up on gas food crossbows batteries generators FAITH …………….. all of it.
GL with government help when the Big catagory 7 hits. Wow what a storm on the horizon!
Report Post »Patrick Henry
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:41pmThe Marxist plan is just that: Give more people more $$ for nothing break the bank and increase all services, water, power, …………………….. Then boom! When the dust settles millions die from many causes and they level the playing field, freedom gone Welcome to the NEW WORLD ORDER.
Report Post »Mrs O told us all about the change, did it make sense to you when she said it in early 2008 on TV or did you miss it?
mrsalvage2
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 5:54pmMarxism was created by and funded by Capitalists.
Look, right now. There is no much difference is there?
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 10:26pmMr.savage2 – in case you did not know that was an oxymoron.
Report Post »Capitalism and Marxism are competing social, economic and political theories that have dominated the organization of society since the 19th century. Capitalism emerged during the demise of feudalism in the 14th century, and is based on the principle of economic individualism, or the right to own private property and exercise autonomy in making economic decisions. Marxism, oftentimes interchangeable with communism, emerged from the writings of Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels in the 19th century, and is based on the theory that class conflict will eventually result in the establishment of a society where the public owns the means of production. The two theories are historic enemies, and their differences are most acute when examining their attitudes toward individualism, private property and profit.
It is either Marist, or it is Capitalist, cannot be both
J.C. McGlynn
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:40pmAs per the required rule “If no political parties are mentioned then they must be dumo-rats.”
Report Post »Patrick Henry
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:54pmSoooooo Truueee!
Report Post »ramburner
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 8:44pmI disagree; they are PROGRESSIVES! Find them in BOTH Parties!
Report Post »frank_reuben_floyd
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:38pmI live in Jefferson County. What the story DOESN’T say is what kind of folks ran (& are running) this debacle. Just think Detroit. If you go to a Jefferson county commission meeting & want to understand a word, you’ll need a translator….if you know what I mean.
Report Post »drago
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:58pmMexican (not to be confused with spanish) or ebonics? I’m guessing the latter……
Report Post »OneTermPresident
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:00pmSounds like my city council meetings
Report Post »Melinda71
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:03pmExactually when I lived in AL, I used to say I love the people in AL but the Politicians here are corrupt. People used to look at me like I had 3 heads when I said that. I worked in Jeff Co. and I had to pay a Co. tax. the sales taxes where higher in Jeff Co. and they were always begging for money on the news stations for schools. It made me so mad that they were stealing that money. Some of the schools still had oil furnaces! Their idea on how to fix it? Shut the school down. I left 6 years ago to go back to VA. We have our problems but it’s way better then AL. I love AL most of my family still live there.
Report Post »cannon12pdr
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:36pmI would have told the judge who started the mess he would have to pick up the tab or shove it. His choice.
Report Post »MattO
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:36pmMy water bill last month was $16.00 (I have a septic system), my daughter lives down the road (less than 2 miles), pays $75.00, $18 of it was for water the rest are miscellaneous other charges nothing to do with water.
I recall when water was part of the city/county taxes we paid… what seems like pennies. The tax mongers find ways of taxing you and it’s sickening that they stick on top of a water bill. If you don’t pay, you don’t get your water.
Enough ranting…. :(
Report Post »sodacrackers2
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:51pmIn Cleveland they first said, “Save water, save water!” Then they said, “We have to raise the rates as people aren’t using the same amount of water they used to.” Damned if you do, damned if you don’t!
Report Post »PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 6:51pm@ MATTO : You mean like ” Facilites Charge of $ 10.00 A Month . My water usage averages $ 9.00 a month and my charges are $ 30.00 – $ 36.00 a month . WTF is facilites charge , I called them and never got a actual explenation .The sewer charge is the killer.
Report Post »randy
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:34pmthe costs have risen to $3.1 billion after construction problems
NO! Union problems and corrupt politicians!
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:46pmWhere politicians are involved I’ve learned to multiply by10X their estimates to get the correct cost. You have hit the nail on the head, though no one involved will admit it.
Report Post »Zorba53
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:33pmLook who has been in charge for the last 40 years in Birmingham/Jefferson county. That’s right…Democrats! Corruption? Of course there’s corruption… that’s what Democrats do. Welcome to Detroit South!
Report Post »Bruce_Almty
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:58pmNot to worry; Barack bin Lying to the rescue. Oops, never mind – Haley Barber (R) is governor. You’re screwed.
Report Post »Zorba53
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:20pm@Bruce_almty: It may be difficult for you to understand the difference, but Haley Barbour is the Governor of Mississippi, not Alabama. Dr. Robert Bentley (R), is the Governor of Alabama. Next time, get your United States atlas out, determine which state you are discussing, and then you can make inane comments. Of course, a Google search would have done the trick for you as well.
Report Post »Roywalling
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 5:39pmThis is what happens when u vote color instead of ability.bama is another example.
Report Post »ramburner
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 8:50pmThe problem is PROGRESSIVES! They are in BOTH parties.
Report Post »SadPatriot
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:32pmInstead of rioting and breaking the law there is a better and more organized answer. A more non-violent approach must be advocated for.
Everyone drop your water service. Cut back on electricity as much as possible. Cut off both of them and go stay with relatives for a month or two. If enough people do it it it will collapse the municipal service provider and then maybe the state will come in and take it over.
Doing this will force anyone who owns the municipal bonds to lose money. Too bad. People like me have been warning against getting involved with municipal bonds for a decade. Collapse the municipality by staging a long term sit out.
This is like hitting the reset button. The bonds and the municipality have to be forced to become insolvent in order to hit the reset button.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:26pmI like it.
We can Cloward & Piven the unholy Democrat-bank alliance.
Report Post »ramburner
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 8:56pmOrdinances against living in a home without water, etc. There is only ONE WAY to get out of this, but the public is too stupid to rally together. You MUST vote the bums out!! Then take over with officials really on your side. Rebuilding the system is harder and slower, some bills must be paid, but if the community gathers together and actually attends those community meetings, they will have a say in how the restructure goes.
Report Post »robh
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:31pmLooks like a windmill moment. Or, perhaps, Solyndra with their cutting edge . . . nevermind.
Report Post »rambosharley
Posted on December 18, 2011 at 8:57amlol!
Report Post »Raymond Koepsell
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 3:29pmTime to start up a portable toilet company in Jefferson County, Alabama. Who’s with me?
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:05pmIf you wanted to set them up in a yard and caused then to lose money, they would jyst pass a regulation against it. You could not win that one.
Report Post »countryfirst
Posted on December 17, 2011 at 4:06pmI didn’t know a government agency is portable?
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