Rent-a-Government

George Rebane

Hey, it’s the new wave sweeping the country.  More and more cities and counties are hiring out their core services to neighboring jurisdictions and private enterprises.  Most of these measures are driven by runaway public sector compensation packages that the local electeds just let get out of hand, some like Maywood, CA (see here) came to grief through just plain malfeasance, and others saved the day exercising fiscal prophylactics.

Tamara Audi writes in ‘Cities Rent Police, Janitors to Save Cash’ –

After years of whittling staff and cutting back on services, towns and cities are now outsourcing some of the most basic functions of local government, from policing to trash collection. Services that cities can no longer afford to provide are being contracted to private vendors, counties or even neighboring towns. … The move saves cities budget-crushing costs of employee benefits like health insurance and retirement. Critics say contracting means giving up local control and personalized services. … Cities say they have little choice. Municipalities across the U.S. will face a projected shortfall of $56 to $86 billion between 2010 and 2012, according to a report from the National League of Cities.

Our own Nevada County Supervisors just passed a resolution to have Recology, a waste management contractor, increase its services at the local county dump or, more accurately, our ‘transfer station’ since the stuff eventually gets hauled away to a distant landfill.  They figure this will save the county about $75K a year, and these days every penny counts.  I guess we can file this little item under fiscal prophylactics, which file, I’m happy to say, has been well added to over the last several years.

Unfortunately, looking at the wider horizons, these cost saving measures are coming a day late and more than a dollar short for most places.  I’m sure each of the affected jurisdictions had their own bell ringers who brought the pilfering of the public purse by the public service unions to the attention of local voters.  As were my colleagues and I (e.g. see my columns in the online Union) here in the foothills, they also were shouted down by their local know-nothings, and charged with falsely accusing the selfless public service employees of bankrupting the hands that fed them.

The important thing to keep in mind is that these same progressives have learned nothing from such developments, and continue their opposition to fiscal responsibility at every turn and at all levels of government – tax, borrow, print, and spend.   Those who oppose such social philandering are accused of polarizing the country.  The alternative is to walk off the cliff with them arm in arm.

Comments

[Todd Juvinall]

Vouchers for education too? It appears that economics may change the dynamics for many issues we have been trying to implement.

[D. King]

George,

We tend to view the treasury (debt / tax) as a monolithic construct.

Progressives have a different view.

http://tinyurl.com/2br49ve

[George Rebane]

How true, how true DKing. I'll be the first to admit that their 'economics' is not accessible to me. And I know they have no clue about the way we see the world to work. More effort is needed to bridge the gap, but then which of us will have to cross that bridge?

[D. King]

"More effort is needed to bridge the gap, but then which of us will have to cross that bridge?"

Too rickety, you go first!

[bill tozer]

I think Obama is showing signs of pulling a Clinton and moving to the center, or what he views as the center. Obama has always been a big supporter of education reform involving school vouchers, school choice, and charter schools. His record is clear on this one issue. Polls shows that the #1 concern of black families is school choice, vouchers, and charter schools. Exactly Obama's view. The NAACP has taken no position on this and won't even take a position of school vouchers or charter schools. Unfortunately for Obama, his union backers are vehemently opposed to such notions. This just may force Obama to do some push back on the teachers unions, angering his financial backers. He might, like Clinton, see the light and realize the far left is a millstone on his neck and make a break. Time will tell.

[Dixon Cruickshank]

Mr Tozer is he is a self presrevationist as noted by his distance from the congress in getting the agenda passed without too much caca on his shoes. I am not sure though that he can pull that off but he will have a Republican congress that will change the dynamics considerably, but to get right enough he may twist an ankle or something thats a sharp turn.

[D. King]

bill tozer

“Obama has always been a big supporter of education reform involving school vouchers, school choice, and charter schools.”

Sadly Bill, that’s not true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7FS5B-CynM