• Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz
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    23 hours ago

    Neoliberals: Correct. That’s why the only possible way to have HSR is if you give the railroads infinite land to develop and interest free loans. Then if you’re lucky, they’ll subsidize the unprofitable railroads by renting out the most expensive land in the city as exorbitant rates! Or maybe they’ll cut rail service and raise ticket prices anyway! Shame there’s no alternative.

    • pedz@lemmy.ca
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      23 hours ago

      A nice private-public partnership, with a contract guaranteeing profits for the private investors and the public pays for it through taxes.

      • applebusch@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        8 hours ago

        Yeah a great way to give a private business a bunch of tax money for providing the cheapest shittiest possible service without losing the contract. Private businesses will always pursue maximum profit because that’s what they’re structured for, so they will never prioritize the quality of their product or service over that. The only reason to privatize public transit is to give a juicy overpriced government contract to the friend/relative/favorite lobbyist of some corrupt politician. Even if it doesn’t start out that way, just wait a little while. Capitalists going to capitalist. It’s only a matter of time before that kind of organization is bought out by some private equity firm that will enshitify it.