by Morley Evans
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| The City and County of Los Angeles |
This is the Big Time.
In 1988, I was invited to conduct a study comparing municipal services provided by the City of Los Angeles and services provided by the County of Los Angeles to services provided to the City and County by contractors. This is a summary.
- Morley Evans
Services Included
- Refuse Collection and Disposal
- Asphalt Resurfacing
- Street Cleaning
- Building Security
- Janitorial
- Culinary
- Street Tree-Trimming
This study was possible because Ronald Reagan, who was the President of the United States at the time, looked favourably on "privatization". Reagan had been the Governor of California for 8 years before becoming the President. One of the five Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles was Pete Schabarum. He was also interested in "privatization". Schabarum had been appointed to the LA County Board of Supervisors by Ronald Reagan.
Peace and good feelings were breaking out all over. Reagan and Gorbachev wanted to end the Cold War and eliminate nuclear weapons. I was hopeful and naive. So were they!
Peace and good feelings were breaking out all over. Reagan and Gorbachev wanted to end the Cold War and eliminate nuclear weapons. I was hopeful and naive. So were they!
County and City staff were co-operative. They made available to me the data that was necessary. They helped me to find it. Most importantly, and fundamentally, the data were available. Input and output measures had been carefully collected and stored for decades. The Southern California Tax Research Foundation sponsored the study. They hired the Local Government Center of the Reason Foundation to undertake the study. They hired me. "Have gun - Will travel."
"Privatization" was controversial then and it remains so today. Abuses are possible when "civil servants" deliver the services as well as when contractors deliver the services. Dishonesty and perversions must be prevented.
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