张庆方律师：宁要社会主义的老百姓要求涨价，不要资本主义的全国最低水价？ Would the public prefer socialism with demands for higher prices over capitalism with the lowest national water rates?

水费不是非涨不可，解决之道是民营化。

Water rates don't have to increase; privatization is the solution.

云南东川自来水公司因为管理混乱，不但水质无法保证，还经常停水，东川居民都把储水桶作为每家每户的标配。

Due to mismanagement at the Yunnan Dongchuan Water Company, not only is water quality unreliable, but frequent shutdowns also force Dongchuan residents to keep water storage barrels as a household standard.

我的当事人，东川首富张启东，从九十年代起靠做铜矿生意起家，到了2011年，政府就力劝他接手国营体制玩不下去的自来水公司。

My client, Dongchuan's wealthiest individual, Zhang Qidong, started his fortune in the copper mining business in the 1990s. By 2011, the government persuaded him to take over the state-run water company, which was floundering.

张启东接手东川自来水公司后，改进了管理，降低了成本，原先几百个国企员工管不好的企业，被他只用几十人，就保持了一直以来的全国最低水价，实现了稳定供水，安全供水。

After Zhang Qidong took over, he improved management and reduced costs. A business that hundreds of state employees couldn't handle was effectively managed by his team of just a few dozen, maintaining the nation's lowest water rates and ensuring stable, safe water supply.

今天，看到狗日的广州自来水公司涨价的消息，理由居然是老百姓强烈要求涨价，我忍不住想尿他们脸上！

Today, seeing the infuriating news of the Guangzhou Water Company raising its rates, with the excuse being the public's strong demand for it, I can't help but want to piss on their faces!

广州自来水完全可以不涨价，只要他们肯把张启东请过去，一样可以实现全国最低水价！

Guangzhou's water rates don't need to rise at all; if they would just bring in Zhang Qidong, they could achieve the lowest national water rates as well!

当然，即便广州市政府有心请张启东，现在也面临一个难题：作为产值占整个东川区GDP 百分之六十，历年交税占全区税收百分之五十八的金水公司董事长的张启东，已经被云南市公安局以涉黑为由关押两年了，肆意妄为的昆明市公安局，给他安的罪状之一，就包括控制东川自来水供应。

Of course, even if the Guangzhou government were keen to recruit Zhang Qidong, they now face a dilemma: as the chairman of Jingshui Company, accounting for 60% of Dongchuan district's GDP and 58% of its annual taxes, Zhang has been detained for two years by the Yunnan City Public Security Bureau on charges of gang involvement, with one of the reckless accusations by the Kunming Public Security Bureau including controlling the Dongchuan water supply.

可以预料，张启东被定罪后，很快，东川老百姓也会不可避免地步广州百姓后尘，强烈要求自来水涨价！

It's foreseeable that after Zhang Qidong is convicted, the people of Dongchuan will inevitably follow in the footsteps of Guangzhou's citizens, vehemently demanding higher water rates!

（2024年5月11日）

(May 11, 2024)