Carl DeMaio’s San Diego managed competition proposal is a tad short of my ideal model – but a quantum leap forward from our present predicament. I enthusiastically support his efforts.
Yet it does raise the question – what WOULD be my ideal model, given the constraints of the real world we live in. My proposed model is indeed not a model – it’s a city in Georgia. Sandy Springs did it right.
The key to their remarkable success is that they did it correctly — right from the city’s inception. An unincorporated area with 90,000 people decided to form their own city, and to run it quite differently than surrounding communities. Without existing city labor unions and their beholden politicians, the innovators faced little organized opposition to their groundbreaking effort.
This city has a total of two city employees. That’s right – TWO!
They contract EVERYTHING out. Sometimes they contract with a government agency for such things as police. More often they use private contractors.
The result is quality city services delivered at literally half the cost of surrounding communities. In addition, the city faces no unfunded pension or health care liabilities – disabling debts haunting cities, counties, states and nations around the world. The city has no meddling labor union influence to deal with. And communities around the nation are starting to take notice.
While not as easy to do with existing cities (because of entrenched special interests), many of the Sandy Springs successes can be adopted elsewhere – and are! Meanwhile other unincorporated areas that have filled in with folks are looking to Sandy Springs for their city incorporation model.
Below is a link to an excellent write-up on this amazing success. I won’t include the full write-up – just the link you can go to. And go to it you should.
—
Innovators in Action 2009
Public-Private Partnerships for Local Governments:
The Sandy Springs Model
http://reason.org/news/show/public-private-partnerships-fo-1 or http://tinyurl.com/PrivateCity
Imagine starting a new city of over 90,000 people with only two employees. We did it.
[click here for the fascinating full article]