Down The Sewer Pipe – Politically Speaking

When talking about the economy (as it applies to government spending) there needs to be a discussion about keeping the water, road, sewer, and the solid waste departments in house.

The advantage is not so much in money and not spending, as it is about control.  Once the government that you serve gets rid of these departments, all control is lost.  While it may seem like a good thing at the time, there is one glaring drawback. 

This drawback is, that you will have to let out for bit every repair and upgrade to these departments that you do.  Another, not so well known, drawback is the lack of information you can receive.  If you out source these departments and then you want information, you will have to pay extra.  Unless, of course, information is part of the contract and that, as we know, is real iffy.

If these departments are left in house then you control, benefits, payroll, how much inventory of pipe valves etc., are on hand at any given time.  Getting the information needed is as simple as having the staff run a report.  It they do not generate the report you want, then do not pay them or dock them several hours’ pay for insubordination.

I have not found a single instance, where outsourcing these services has worked well.  Usually, that is the norm, over time the outsourcer charges twice of what you were spending for the same service, and the savings to the local population is negligible.  In point of fact, there is no savings at all.

Sherman