Detroit's water victory is "only talk" by the Detroit city administration. Detroit committed to a Water Affordability Plan last year with a budget of $5 Million. The plan was supposed to be in place July 1, a year ago. It's still not in operation. Now, the Mayor has taken away $2.5 Million of the $5 Million allocated for the plan. He gave that money to the Police Department. So, it proves the City of Detroit administration is nothing but talk and no action when it comes to the vast majority of people, especially the poorest section of the working class. Over 45,000 or more homes in Detroit still have no water. We have fought in the legislature and the courts, and now we're going back into the streets. Water is today's gold and they are refusing to give it up. The public owns the water, but they are trying to privatize it. We have to fight and organize to get and keep our water. They're saying if you don't pay, you don't have water--and they are constantly getting a rate increase. Folks can't pay. Now we are trying to get the suburbs to understand that we have to join together against the corporations to have quality water. We are going to show where our unity lies.
Marian Kramer is a member of the Michigan Welfare Rights Union. Visit http://mwro.org for more information.
Editor's note: Water is a $100 Billion industry. The giant corporations are set to make mountains of profit by taking over the remaining 85% of our public public water companies. Send your water story to the People's Tribune!
Agnes Hitchcock, center, and others protest outside of Samuel Buzz Thomas's house, a legislator from Detroit.
PHOTO/CONTRIBUTED BY CALL ‘EM OUT
Agnes Hitchcock, of Detroit's Call 'Em Out!, a group that holds public officials accountable, says people in Detroit are under a general attack. For example, the city eliminated its bulk trash pickup service, and Hitchcock then received a $3,500 "blight ticket" for failure to keep her yard free of solid waste. She feels this is rough behavior from the city and may have the effect of forcing more people from their homes by virtue of a lien placed upon residences if the fine is not paid. The home could then be placed in "tax foreclosure" and seized for nonpayment. See the May issue of the People's Tribune for the full story.
