Privatization!?!?

[proud2BlibKansan]

About 20 years ago, the taxpayers here in two states approved the area's first bi-state tax which was used to renovate Union Station in Kansas City.

The renovation is beautiful. The community loves it. There are shops and offices and restaurants.

Today I went to a luncheon for Claire McCaskill at Union Station. I've been to several events at Union Station since it was renovated and I parked in the same covered lot where I have parked before next to the station. I remembered to bring my parking ticket inside so I could have it validated, just like every other time I have been to any event at Union Station.

When I got to the McCaskill event, I asked the woman at the door if she was validating parking tickets. She said she wasn't authorized to do that but I could go to the information stand in the main lobby. So after the luncheon, I went to the Information stand and was told the parking lot was now managed by a private company and they no longer validated parking tickets.

Meanwhile a group of people had come into Union Station and were handing out flyers asking the folks attending the McCaskill event to talk to Claire about saving Social Security. They were told by security that Union Station is private property and if they didn't leave they would be arrested for trespassing. As I walked by them, they were asking if they could stand on the sidewalk out front and the security guy said no. When I left they were still talking to security and a man who looked like he was management was there too.

It took 30 minutes to get out of the parking garage. There was only one attendant and two exits where you had to insert your ticket and then pay for your parking. There were at least 30 cars in front of me and it was a slow process. Since the charge was by the half hour, I got to pay for the 30 minutes I waited in line to get out.

So I guess this is just one more way the people get screwed. Get them to vote for a tax to renovate a facility and then put the facility under the control of a private corporation that makes money while they write new rules governing the use of the facility.

Only in America, eh?