The old 'monopolize and screw' gambit of private equity. I've heard of the firms that specialize in identifying essential parts of military systems that have on

The old 'monopolize and screw' gambit of private equity. I've heard of the firms that specialize in identifying essential parts of military systems that have one or only a few possible manufacturers, then buying them up and increasing the price by several thousand percent (the DoD will buy them anyway). But this is the first I heard of the approach being applied for required municipal purchases. I guess nothing is safe.