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What is the utility supposed to do when people effectively cancel their service via non-payment? The utility isn't a charity, and utility service isn't a civil

What is the utility supposed to do when people effectively cancel their service via non-payment? The utility isn't a charity, and utility service isn't a civil right.

Broken_Hippo 12y ago
The utility is a company: But humans actually need clean water for basic life. Not everyone possess the resources to pay everything, for various reasons. This isn't an excuse to deny people life, though. There are solutions that do not involve being cruel to people or make them grovel multiple places just to get water - but it seems that as soon as anyone suggests those, they label it communist or socialist and try to make it go away. I'd happily allow charities to fill in the gaps, but at this time, either there aren't enough charities or money in those to provide the resources - the one in detroit delivering bottled water won't be able to last forever, plus bottled water is inefficient. It is cheaper than catching up past bills. Do you have a solution that doesn't put people at the risk of water borne disease, allows people to be clean an sanitary, and most importantly, does not mean people are dying of starvation?
- mullingitover 12y ago
  > The utility is a company: But humans actually need clean water for basic life. There are ways of getting assistance, it's not really clear how many of those due to have utilities shut off have pursued them.[1] The bigger issue is that Detroit is a wasteland, and it's not fair to the poor that they're stuck in an economic cesspit. I'd be all in favor of programs to get Detroiters relocated to places with better employment prospects. [1] http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/need_help_with_electric_bills.html http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/need_help_with_elect...
  - Broken_Hippo 12y ago
    Michigan might have higher standards, but most of the assistance is underfunded (Indiana county offices would run out of money mid-year at times) and the cutoffs are low enough in some states that working full time at minimum wage is enough money to be denied help. There are a few crisis places, but they aren't exactly well known, especially if you are newly 'poor'. Once i lacked transportation, I couldn't even get to some of the places, and my experience has been that utility companies do not offer much outside of what is legally required (did short collections for a phone company; What you got depended on state laws where you lived). Detroit, you are correct, has unique problems. I think reloction might work for some people, but it is hard to say where to put people. I often wonder what the residents would do to the neighborhoods and city if money wasn't an issue, but unfortunately that isn't going to help people have utilities or street lighting or things like that. Granted, I don't have actual solutions either. I support socialist policies because from what I can see, they work, at least better than the patchwork of assistance that is available in the US. Even with that in mind, it all comes down to money, and the only ways I can see to fix it involve money and someone or another is going to complain that they are 'losing'.

What is the utility supposed to do when people effectively cancel their service via non-payment? The utility isn't a charity, and utility service isn't a civil right.

Broken_Hippo 12y ago

The utility is a company: But humans actually need clean water for basic life. Not everyone possess the resources to pay everything, for various reasons. This isn't an excuse to deny people life, though. There are solutions that do not involve being cruel to people or make them grovel multiple places just to get water - but it seems that as soon as anyone suggests those, they label it communist or socialist and try to make it go away. I'd happily allow charities to fill in the gaps, but at this time, either there aren't enough charities or money in those to provide the resources - the one in detroit delivering bottled water won't be able to last forever, plus bottled water is inefficient. It is cheaper than catching up past bills. Do you have a solution that doesn't put people at the risk of water borne disease, allows people to be clean an sanitary, and most importantly, does not mean people are dying of starvation?

mullingitover 12y ago
> The utility is a company: But humans actually need clean water for basic life. There are ways of getting assistance, it's not really clear how many of those due to have utilities shut off have pursued them.[1] The bigger issue is that Detroit is a wasteland, and it's not fair to the poor that they're stuck in an economic cesspit. I'd be all in favor of programs to get Detroiters relocated to places with better employment prospects. [1] http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/need_help_with_electric_bills.html http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/need_help_with_elect...
- Broken_Hippo 12y ago
  Michigan might have higher standards, but most of the assistance is underfunded (Indiana county offices would run out of money mid-year at times) and the cutoffs are low enough in some states that working full time at minimum wage is enough money to be denied help. There are a few crisis places, but they aren't exactly well known, especially if you are newly 'poor'. Once i lacked transportation, I couldn't even get to some of the places, and my experience has been that utility companies do not offer much outside of what is legally required (did short collections for a phone company; What you got depended on state laws where you lived). Detroit, you are correct, has unique problems. I think reloction might work for some people, but it is hard to say where to put people. I often wonder what the residents would do to the neighborhoods and city if money wasn't an issue, but unfortunately that isn't going to help people have utilities or street lighting or things like that. Granted, I don't have actual solutions either. I support socialist policies because from what I can see, they work, at least better than the patchwork of assistance that is available in the US. Even with that in mind, it all comes down to money, and the only ways I can see to fix it involve money and someone or another is going to complain that they are 'losing'.