Give the People What They Want: A Vote

A couple of weeks ago, a Trenton citizens group had a most resounding victory in the New Jersey Supreme Court. After a year of legal tussling, the highest court in New Jersey validated citizens’ right to choose whether or not to sell their public water utility to a private company. You might be thinking, “Isn’t that a basic American right – to have a voice when it comes to a public resource?”  You’d be right to think that, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

Trenton is a city with a budget deficit and aging water infrastructure. It is certainly not alone in this financial crunch; it’s happening in cities throughout the country, such as Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Indianapolis. Some public officials mistakenly believe that selling off utilities is the answer to budget shortfalls, but it is merely a short-term solution that creates much bigger problems further down the road for citizens.

Residents of Milwaukee, WI, chimed in and prevented privatization of their water. Trenton, NJ, now has a chance to do the same. Photo provided by Food & Water Watch

For over three years, Mayor Douglas Palmer has been trying to sell the suburban portion of Trenton Water Works to American Water, the largest private water company in the United States.  He called it a “public-private partnership that helps everyone,” even though most Trenton residents never had a chance to examine any of the details of the sale. Palmer talked about it as if it were common sense to privatize an essential resource. Back in 2009, after describing the negotiations behind the sale as “agonizing,” he probably thought it was a done deal.

Thankfully, a group of civic associations and their members began a ballot initiative to put the question of the sale to voters.  The City of Trenton and American Water immediately sued to stop this referendum.  Now, thanks to the Supreme Court decision, a public vote will give residents their chance to chime in and prove that the people still matter.

Mayor Palmer’s attempt to push the sale through without initial voter consent is an example of why Food & Water Watch offers support to residents.  Trying to sell off a portion of what the Trenton mayor calls a “tremendous asset to the city” undermines the idea of an essential public resource remaining in the control of the people who rely on it. It also sells the city short in the long run, such as what happened in Chicago, and leaves residents vulnerable to steep rate hikes later.

We have been part of this great effort to prevent the privatization of the water utility in Trenton, NJ.  More importantly, we’ve mobilized people to ensure they have a voice in the process of such a critical public decision. The referendum is scheduled in late June. At least now the people have a fighting chance.

Rich Bindell, Education & Outreach