Handing the Lexus Lanes over to a for-profit privateer. Yes, indeed, that is the plan cooked up by the Ga DOT and it is meeting with some criticism.
Those on the left fear the loss of revenue which they have earmarked for anything but what it has been, by law, earmarked for. Remember the embezzlement of the Ga 400 Tolls? Though a few on the right, the privateers and their friends and family, see this as a lucrative business opportunity. Expect the same fiduciary responsibility we see with government IT contracts.
Then there are the oddballs; the libertarians. These folk are concerned that these private operations will have no incentive for efficiency and there is the inherent loss of their corporate profits from the public's till. There is also the negative optics of property acquired by imminent domain now becoming part of these privateer's profit portfolio. Does anyone really think that is the purpose of imminent domain? Is it even legal.
Perhaps we really do need a Citizens' Review Board inspecting every level of government and every agency in government. Maybe now is a good time for random, suspicionless lifestyle audits of government employees and contractors.
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