ANCHORAGE DAILY PLANET
The Anchorage Assembly, with little fanfare the other day, moved the city closer to selling the Municipal Light and Power utility to the Chugach Electric Association for $999 million.
The measure, mostly housekeeping and finalization of technical elements of the sale approved by voters last year, passed 11-0.
Alaska Public Media reported the sale could be finalized by June of next year, and he said among the myriad details of the sale there was this:
“And one unexpected provision will put $15 million toward substance abuse treatment. That measure is framed as a community benefit from the sale. The funds will go towards a new entity named the Alaska Center for Treatment in public documents, though according to the mayor’s administration, the concept will need to be refined going forward.”
Huh? Who knew the sale would spin off $15 million for an “Alaska Center for Treatment” that “will need to be refined” in the future?
Hughes reported Municipal Attorney Rebecca Windt Pearson told the Assembly:
“This is by no means the end of the public process around that idea. The agreement here is simply that we have said $15 million dollars will go toward this idea, this project, or else it will become an offset to payments under this deal after five years.”
It is enough to make us wonder what else is in the agreement.
Politics, business, and monkey business. What’s not to like?
All the customers need to know is their rates are increasing.
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The utility’s union-management team and the city’s ruling class will decide how much.
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It seems reasonable, Gentle Readers, to expect the $15 million for an “Alaska Center for Treatment” that will need to be refined in the future” is simply a payoff, a kickback, a bit of untraceable financial performance art, clearly beyond understanding and appreciation of productive residents… and therefore to be withheld from their view.
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And, while productive Anchorage residents are chained (metaphorically, of course) to their readily corruptible mail-in balloting system, it also seems reasonable to expect that this is how municipal business will be done for the foreseeable future.
Citizens of Anchorage. Getting your money’s worth yet? Another leftist attempt to ‘break the bank’. The bank of Anchorage citizens, that is. If the utility is to be sold, you can be sure there are already many more leftist schemes in the works for the $$$. Probably already committed. When that billion dollars runs dry on fruitcake schemes, what next? More taxes to save the already placed schemes because the billion $$ will be gone, most likely with little or no benefit to those shouldering the financial and social burden of leftist/dim socialist policies.
One thing I’ll tell you for sure. “Treatment” of drug and alcohol abuse/addiction will not work unless the abuser/addict really wants it to work. Without total commitment by the abuser/addict to cure themselves, it will never work, no matter how much money and leftist enabling is thrown at it or how much “counseling” is given. Proven time after time. The ‘treatment’ must start and end with the abuser/addict and their desire to be free of the substances and their effects. That’s the only hope of success. No amount of other peoples’ money thrown at the issue will be effective. Unfortunately, most substance abusers/addicts make their own choice to live that particular, induced nirvana lifestyle. They will not change, especially when enabled to the extent that is currently in motion. Put that $15 mil somewhere it would do some good. Better yet, don’t sell the cash cow utility for a short time spending binge. The “treatment center” will most likely transition to a ghetto “living and safe injection/drinking” site or collection of sites, and fairly soon. To whom does the benefit of spending those millions fall? Of course, there will be a battalion of ‘public employees’ running the operation. Not good for Ms. and Mr. taxpayer.
Democrats, unions, and a billion bucks just rattling around; what could possibly go wrong?
The question to be asked by those who live in Anchorage is in order to make up the difference in the agreement between the top 5 users of the utility for <.5 per kilowatt is did this cut go with the sale as was 1st agreed on? If so, bend over Anchorage!!!
“Bullhorn Berkowitz” and his cronies!! Berkowitz is nothing but a mess that will create a stink for years to come.
Amazing! Substance abuse treatment at the same time they fall all over themselves to accommodate the cannibas “industry”. The $15 million facility like all government projects will cost overrun to $25 million. Notice nothing has been said about the recurring costs of staff and ongoing maintenance which will overshadow the initial expenditure. This “Mickey is being slipped us after the fact. Like you say more surprises are in the offing and hypocrisy is on parade.
Riders on a Bill of Sale? Like it’s a bill in the legislature?
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