The sharing economy is taking over every aspect of our economy, whether it’s Uber, Airbnb, or Amazon — each one of these companies is impacting workers and the vitality of our local economies in increasingly alarming ways. In this Weekly Picks issue, we detail this trend (and even more) on these topics.… Read More
At MuniNetworks, we often focus on access to the Internet, but the impact of telecommunication policy extends beyond data. In 2016, families might finally see reasonable prices for phone calls to incarcerated loved ones. Last October, the FCC voted to close loopholes and cap rates for Inmate Calling Service providers in jails and prisons across the … Read More
Both chambers of the Republican-controlled Michigan legislature are pushing to privatize that state’s prisons. Like a similar bill introduced by Florida Republicans that was narrowly defeated, the Michigan bill would require shifting 1200 inmates to a private prison if 10 percent savings would be gained. The Detroit Free Press published an Opinion piece by Michigan … Read More
Earlier this year, Florida’s Republican Governor and legislature proposed to privatize all 26 state prisons. SB 2038 would have allowed privatization if a private company’s bid was at least 7 percent less than the state’s current cost. The bill would affect nearly 4,000 state workers. Projected annual savings exceeded $16.5 million. Despite union opposition, the bill … Read More
Since 1987, Arizona’s Department of Corrections has been legislatively mandated to produce cost and quality reviews for its private prisons, in part to judge how they compare with state-run facilities. The data on costs were collected, but in recent years, it took a lawsuit by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) for the Department of Corrections … Read More
There’s Something To The State Of Denmark by David Morris Originally published on TomPaine.com, August 8, 2003 “We’re from the government and we’re here to help.” In the United States, such a statement elicits gales of laughter. Even in my home state of Minnesota, a state with a well-deserved liberal reputation, the belief that government is … Read More
Privatizing Prisons is Dangerous to Our Health by David Morris Institute for Local Self-Reliance January 13, 1998 – published in St. Paul Pioneer Press “If it has a payroll, privatize it”. So goes the reigning doctrine of the day. The urge to privatize invades all sectors, all services, even when common sense screams out for us … Read More
