To the Editor:
A newspaper article about privatizing New Jersey’s toll roads left me with some questions.
First, these facts: once the government privatizes a service and property it loses control of its quality of service and safety, such as in Indiana since 1980.
I didn’t read anything about who must maintain the property and equipment. Why not? It won’t be the privatization company; it will be the state.
Not a bad deal for a business. They get the business and the state upkeeps it.
No word is given about the employees. Will they remain public employees, or will they become private?
What happens to their pensions and contract with the state? If they become unemployed, what are the projected unemployment costs for the state?
In the private sector, they have the right to organize a union that can strike and no state judge can interfere.
If there are disputes between the company and the state, how are they to be settled? Court suits could take forever.
Why wasn’t any referencing of public-private deals that haven’t worked given? There are too many questions and so much to know.
