Privitization of Public Services Gaining Momentum in Utah
None by Elizabeth Ziegler
(KCPW News) Senator Howard Stephenson says he'll continue his efforts to get government out of business. Stephenson, President of the Utah Taxpayers Association, says the "yellow pages test" is gaining support in the Legislature.
"We've been pushing this concept for years, and this is the first year we've actually passed Legislation," Stephenson says. "It's an education tipping point. We've got enough Legislators educated to the correct principles we're talking about here, that we've finally got the critical mass to get it done."
Utah is now recognized by the Reason Foundation as having the nation's most comprehensive state and local privatization laws. Three bills passed earlier this year require an inventory of state and local services that could be privatized. The new laws also require a process for private industry to take over some government services. Speaking on KCPW's Midday Metro Monday morning, Stephenson says this should also apply to the state-run liquor market.
"Why should government be in that business? It's OK for government to regulate it, because it's one of those drugs that may affect safety and behavior and children and all of those kinds of things, so go ahead and keep the regulations," Stephenson says. "But why should government actually be into the warehousing and retailing of liquor?"
Opening up government services to the free market is one of the agenda items on Tuesday's Utah Taxes Now conference being held at the Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2009 KCPW
1. Steve Erickson said:
Sen. Stephenson and fellow ideological devotees of the fictional "free" market purport to contract out critical government services in order to adhere to "correct principals (sic)" and to save taxpayers' dollars. Yet in most cases the tax savings are questionable and the "principals" who benefit are corporate executives and shareholders. An example is the annual push for privatizing prisons in Utah, championed by the Reason Foundation and the other corporate front our legislators love so dearly, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Prison privatization federally and in other states has not provided savings but has created horrendous problems for states, local communities, and prisoners and their families. Oh, and tidy profits for corporate ownership. Kind of like what happens when we privatize war (e.g. Blackwater). When elected leaders tout Milton Friedman and the wonders of the "free" market, grab your wallet and run!
3. marko said:
Prison privatization federally and in other states has not provided savings but has created horrendous problems for states, local communities, and prisoners and their families.
2. Jeremy said:
I generally agree with the principles Sen. Stephenson is discussing. The yellow pages test makes a lot of sense.
My concern is that Sen. Stephenson's day job is as a full time lobbyist. The most likely result of the privatization he's talking about is a load of taxpayer money going to his own clients. Privatization is good. More government largesse to Stephenson's cronies isn't.