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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Bribery Pays Off For Aramark in MI

It looks as though the half a million dollars that Aramark spent on lobbying legislators in Michigan has finally begun to pay off after a plan to privatize the prison food service industry has been passed by MI lawmakers…all in the name of ‘saving money’, of course.


Michigan’s governor has a theory that laying off 300 state workers and handing the food contract over to Aramark (in spite of their long, long list of lawsuits, contract issues and wrongdoings) is going to save their state money. Or so he claims. Odds are that he cares far more about keeping his friendly relations with corporate (re: donating) interests intact than he does about saving the citizens of Michigan any money. After all, why care if a little more $ is spent s’long as its other people’s money being spent, right?

I hope that Michigan lawmakers had the foresight to set some money aside for potential lawsuits from prisoners, not to mention, to cover any cost connected to possible future audits of Aramark’s bookkeeping and (over)billing system as other states have had to do. Findings by the FL legislators audit in 2007 to the end of contractual relations with Aramark and fines totaling more than $864,000 between 2001-08.  Kentucky is looking at spending over $18 million to repair/rebuild after damages from a riot over Aramark food.

Other states have had faced problems with Aramark ranging from breaking state wage laws to public health hazards like rat droppings and maggots found in Aramark kitchens and food. Mind you, Aramark serves more than just the prison population; they service several school districts throughout MI.

Isn’t it disgusting to know that lawmakers are so happy and willing to (A) charge the citizens of their states extra money in order to *Reward* campaign donating corporations contracts and that (B) they don’t even care if they put the health and safety of not only prisoners, but that of the general public, at such unnecessary risk to do so?

Sooner or later hopefully people will start to do their homework and vote for candidates without ties to corporate owners and interests who are nothing more than parasites feeding from the trough of our corrupt political system. Until then…

Condolences to the citizens of MI for Aramark’s advancing take-over of your state institutions and services. Oh, and you might want to find out who feeds your kid at school – and consider sack lunches should the answer be Aramark!

Original Post Here

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