4 ms·

> these kinds of profound utility failures only happen in municipalities where the wealthy have removed themselves The Corps got it running in a couple days. I

> these kinds of profound utility failures only happen in municipalities where the wealthy have removed themselves The Corps got it running in a couple days. It was incompetence that caused the problem, and I doubt you will argue that poor people are less smart.

andirk 4y ago
Did these water issues arise because of incompetence or lack of funds? I know Flint's crisis was not related to lack of funds. So many comments keep harping on funds.
- woodruffw 4y ago
  These are connected factors: a lack of adequate funding belies insufficient municipal interest in utilities, which breeds an environment of incompetence. And yes, Flint's water crisis was absolutely connected to a lack of funds. It was directly precipitated by the city's declaration of a financial emergency[1], which in turn caused the city to seek cheaper water sources. [1]: https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2011/11/former_acting_mayor_michael_br.html https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2011/11/former_acting_mayor...
  - andirk 4y ago
    The link says who will be in charge, not that there was a true emergency requiring switching the perfectly working fresh water source to disgusting water. The state governor took over most operations due to the "emergency" and poisoned thousands of people who will be poisoned for life, and got away with it. I credit that to criminal negligence, or to be nice, incompetence, but hardly an actual budget issue. https://apnews.com/article/health-crime-michigan-indictments-rick-snyder-609f461af3bb2d7f10a40c5d663620eb https://apnews.com/article/health-crime-michigan-indictments...
    - woodruffw 4y ago
      What kind of “smoking gun” are you looking for? In every public timeline of the Flint crisis, the budget emergency immediately precedes the decision to save money by using a different municipal water source. Are we expected to believe that the decision to save money on water was entirely unconnected to the city’s financial status? That beggars belief.
jahewson 4y ago
Lack of funds and incompetence can both exist simultaneously.
woodruffw 4y ago
The fact that the Army Corps of Engineers can fix a municipal water system has absolutely no bearing on whether or not said water system was inadequately funded or incompetently managed. It's not a "smart or not smart" thing: wealthy areas demand (and receive) adequate attention and funding for their public utilities. Incompetence on the municipal level is a symptom.

andirk 4y ago

Did these water issues arise because of incompetence or lack of funds? I know Flint's crisis was not related to lack of funds. So many comments keep harping on funds.

woodruffw 4y ago
These are connected factors: a lack of adequate funding belies insufficient municipal interest in utilities, which breeds an environment of incompetence. And yes, Flint's water crisis was absolutely connected to a lack of funds. It was directly precipitated by the city's declaration of a financial emergency[1], which in turn caused the city to seek cheaper water sources. [1]: https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2011/11/former_acting_mayor_michael_br.html https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2011/11/former_acting_mayor...
- andirk 4y ago
  The link says who will be in charge, not that there was a true emergency requiring switching the perfectly working fresh water source to disgusting water. The state governor took over most operations due to the "emergency" and poisoned thousands of people who will be poisoned for life, and got away with it. I credit that to criminal negligence, or to be nice, incompetence, but hardly an actual budget issue. https://apnews.com/article/health-crime-michigan-indictments-rick-snyder-609f461af3bb2d7f10a40c5d663620eb https://apnews.com/article/health-crime-michigan-indictments...
  - woodruffw 4y ago
    What kind of “smoking gun” are you looking for? In every public timeline of the Flint crisis, the budget emergency immediately precedes the decision to save money by using a different municipal water source. Are we expected to believe that the decision to save money on water was entirely unconnected to the city’s financial status? That beggars belief.

jahewson 4y ago

Lack of funds and incompetence can both exist simultaneously.

woodruffw 4y ago

The fact that the Army Corps of Engineers can fix a municipal water system has absolutely no bearing on whether or not said water system was inadequately funded or incompetently managed. It's not a "smart or not smart" thing: wealthy areas demand (and receive) adequate attention and funding for their public utilities. Incompetence on the municipal level is a symptom.