Chatter

By Robert Dodson

September 27, 2006 03:01 AM | Link to this

Hey, if it makes government a little less expensive, then I’m for it.

By Democrat

September 27, 2006 07:21 AM | Link to this

It is a waste of tax dollars. Citizens pay taxes for services rendered by the government. Just another example of why Sandy Springs should have never been allowed to become a city. Wasteful, Republican city!

By Dr. Judith Hiles

September 27, 2006 08:57 AM | Link to this

Leave it to D. Nurse of the AJC to find a “yes, but” about privatization of services in Sandy Springs.

“Yes, but” privatization didn’t work in City of Atlanta because the City of Atlanta itself doesn’t work. What a relief to have Eva Galambos, other COSS employees, and CH2-OMhill to manage our services and ordinances.

Get a grip, Nurse, comparing Atlanta and the City of Sandy Springs is fruitless.

By Bubba

September 27, 2006 09:00 AM | Link to this

As with many things, this seems to be a stupid fad engendered by stupid politicians. Why would any government, reliant on taxes for services, hire a private, for profit company to provide those same services. Governments are not in business to make money. They are not for-profit companies. In addition to having taxes raised periodically, part of the equation will include a built in profit margin for the for profit company hired to provide government services. This, is a typical response/band-aid approach to running a business, in this case government services. Politicians who are too stupid AND lazy to provide common sense oversight over government services including goverment employees. The easier approach is to hire a private, for profit company, possibly with a little “back rubbing’ thrown in, who esentially provides another deep, thick layer of privatization in more ways than one. It may seem like a smart, clever move. In reality, it’s one of the things politicians do.

By Jason

September 27, 2006 09:36 AM | Link to this

I’ve worked extensively in both private industry and government, both in the role of salaried employee and outside consultant. The fact is that there is all kinds of waste and laziness in both places but you find out about the government waste because they are required to be open about how things are run whereas private businesses, even those publicly traded, are able to keep a lid on how things work inside.

The only big difference I saw between the two is that private business is more likely to fire those who are lazy but it is by no means a certainty and often when layoffs come, those deciding who goes and who stays are several layers above those losing their jobs and end up picking the wrong people to let go. In public government, it is very hard to get rid of bad employees.

As far as Sandy Springs/suburbs versus Atlanta goes, just look at the paper each day to see where all the population growth is, whose crime rate is crashing and whose is climbing, etc. Sandy Springs is a nice place and can remain that way or get even better but falling into the “hey, we’re not as bad as Atlanta” trap only creates a situation where an external government gets to set the standard for what’s good and what is bad. The City of Atlanta is clearly on the rise and wouldn’t be a bad role model in the years to come but seriously, Sandy Springs is its own city and needs to find its own path without resorting to trying to promote itself by attacking the reputation of others. Dragging others through the mud only ends up with everyone getting dirty.

By JT

September 27, 2006 11:04 AM | Link to this

Democrat - If the city is saving money by paying only a fraction of what it would by hiring government employees, then where is the waste?

For example, if 1 city employee would be paid $50,000 base salary and then benefits would cost another $20,000, but that same employee contracted through another company only costs $49,000, then there’s a real savings to the taxpayers. Further, government employees don’t have to perform at a high level. They have no incentive to do a better job - they’re guaranteed their positions. Not so in the private sector.

Don’t believe me? Check out the TSA workers. The government federalized the positions and they have since identified corruption at every airport. Unfortunately, because they are federal employees with guaranteed positions, they are much harder to fire than a private sector employee.

Yeah….that’s a good use of tax dollars.

By JT

September 27, 2006 11:16 AM | Link to this

I’m not a proponent of governments hiring publicly traded companies to take over their business; however, to say that a government is better since it isn’t interested in turning a profit, is a foolish statement.

Government pays highly inflated rates for goods and services every day. It’s not just those $80 hammers and $75 toilet seats that it buys. It’s the $75,000 a year it pays to an employee who doesn’t do his/her job but who cannot be fired for poor performance. And this isnt’ a rarity - it’s common in government. Heck, those apocrophal stories of people who commit suicide being relegated to government service in Hell are not for nothing. Government employees are jokes all over the world. Governments’ misuse of tax dollars is rampant too. Where have all of you put your memories?

If government could be held to the same standards that a well run private company (an honest and efficiently run one), then no one would ever think of taking the goverment out of the loop. But when was the last time anyone could trust a government employee to be quick and efficient? Have you been to the DOT lateley. Tried to get your drivers license renewed in under four hours? Government employees don’t have quotos to meet. They only have to show up. They don’t have to be pleasant or prompt.

So please tell me - given the way government currently runs things -and the way this company is running things for Sandy Springs - which would you rather have?

If the government can do things better than private business, then please, OH PLEASE tell me why the Soviet Union wasn’t the best run country in the world. The government there ran everything - supposedly not for profit….