Comments on: Bonus Water in California? http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/?p=3714 A few thoughts from John Fleck, a writer of journalism and other things, living in New Mexico Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:37:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Emily Green http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/?p=3714&cpage=1#comment-270423 Emily Green Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:56:54 +0000 http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/?p=3714#comment-270423 The LA Business Journal story mentioned that Cadiz had unnamed water districts, presumably Met member agencies, lined up as customers. Those names will not be get-able until business opens next week, so I didn't go into it in an already complicated story. But it's reasonable to suspect that interested local entities include the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, of which Mayor Villaraigosa is head. One thing became clear when Cadiz sued Metropolitan and Brackpool's association with the LA Mayor became more ostentatious than ever. Cadiz isn't going quietly. The English Brackpool, who has a criminal record in the UK, does not plan to leave California without his gold. After failing to get control of the board of the nation's largest water wholesaler, then suing Metropolitan (also unsuccessfully), Brackpool is now working Met's agencies individually during a drought. So, from the look of it, this is not simply a case of a lobbyist trying to weight the scales of government to further a certain cause or business agenda, but the opening of a Phase II effort to divide and conquer the government entity that couldn't be bought whole. The LA Business Journal story mentioned that Cadiz had unnamed water districts, presumably Met member agencies, lined up as customers. Those names will not be get-able until business opens next week, so I didn’t go into it in an already complicated story. But it’s reasonable to suspect that interested local entities include the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, of which Mayor Villaraigosa is head.

One thing became clear when Cadiz sued Metropolitan and Brackpool’s association with the LA Mayor became more ostentatious than ever. Cadiz isn’t going quietly. The English Brackpool, who has a criminal record in the UK, does not plan to leave California without his gold.

After failing to get control of the board of the nation’s largest water wholesaler, then suing Metropolitan (also unsuccessfully), Brackpool is now working Met’s agencies individually during a drought.

So, from the look of it, this is not simply a case of a lobbyist trying to weight the scales of government to further a certain cause or business agenda, but the opening of a Phase II effort to divide and conquer the government entity that couldn’t be bought whole.

]]> By: Eric Fairfield http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/?p=3714&cpage=1#comment-270421 Eric Fairfield Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:22:04 +0000 http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/?p=3714#comment-270421 The first is what the economists call “rent-seeking behavior” - the actions of private individuals to distort markets by persuading governments to act in a way that has the effect of subsidizing the action at hand. Cadiz, as Green argues, has this problem in spades, with close associates of the company’s owner placed in key positions throughout government in an apparent effort to influence government decisions favoring the project. John, Isn't this what every organization (private, public, PAC, and non-profit) do all the time in an attempt to get the government to pay attention to them. ACORN comes to mind. The first is what the economists call “rent-seeking behavior” – the actions of private individuals to distort markets by persuading governments to act in a way that has the effect of subsidizing the action at hand. Cadiz, as Green argues, has this problem in spades, with close associates of the company’s owner placed in key positions throughout government in an apparent effort to influence government decisions favoring the project.

John,
Isn’t this what every organization (private, public, PAC, and non-profit) do all the time in an attempt to get the government to pay attention to them. ACORN comes to mind.

]]> By: Dano http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/?p=3714&cpage=1#comment-270420 Dano Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:15:40 +0000 http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/?p=3714#comment-270420 Boy, John, I hope the bot programs don't find this post, then the lonely pale white conservative men don't flock here in droves and shout you down for denigrating their religion. [/snark] Best, D Boy, John, I hope the bot programs don’t find this post, then the lonely pale white conservative men don’t flock here in droves and shout you down for denigrating their religion.

[/snark]

Best,

D

]]>