Letter to the editor: Privatizing our public services

It feels like Big Money has targeted Pennsylvania to become a corporate friendly and working middle class unfriendly place. Look at what happened in New Stanton. Our local government gave subsidies to Amazon, which has spent millions trying to destroy unions and is known for its abuse of workers and destruction of the environment.

Look at what is happening to our public schools. Millions of dollars are flowing into the state to try to convince our lawmakers to privatize public education. They have come up with one scheme after another, from scholarships and vouchers, which give taxpayer money to individual parents to pay for private or religious schools, to expanding charter schools, which takes desperately needed funds away from our school districts to benefit private corporations.

Look at what happened in 2016 when our lawmakers made it easier to privatize our water and sewer services. Those systems that privatized have significantly increased the cost to consumers.

If your lawmakers are promoting a privatizing scheme for our essential public services, will your continue to vote for them? What if they are promoting an anti-union, right-to-work (for less) plan? Do you support lawmakers who promote tax breaks and subsidies for companies who disregard our health and environment (fracking), abuse and under pay its workers and weasel out of paying their fair share of taxes?

Don’t let the rights of corporations and the super-rich overshadow those of we the people.

Joanne Garing

North Huntingdon