LWVUS Study: Privatization of Public Services

League of Women Voters^®
of Palo Alto

LWVUS Study: Privatization of Public Services

Scope of the Privatization Study: The purpose of this study is to identify those parameters and policy issues to be considered in connection with proposals to transfer federal, state or local government services, assets and/or functions to the private sector. It will review the stated goals and the community impact of such transfers, and identify strategies to ensure transparency, accountability, and preservation of the common good.

The LWVUS committee will provide a history and background of privatization, a glossary of terms, legal issues to be considered when privatizing at different levels of government, current state regulations on privatizing and case studies on successful and unsuccessful privatizing efforts. Finally, the committee will provide suggested policies and parameters to be considered when privatizing.

Study resource materials available here and on the LWVUS website:
1. Subcontracting Public Education
2. Privatization of Prisons
3. Privatization of Publicly Owned Waste Water Treatment Plant
4. Deregulation of Railroads
5. Legal Framework for Transparency and Accountability Within the Context of Privatization: Executive Summary

Timeline:

December 19th 10-Noon: Organization Meeting. Hand out reading materials.
January: Discuss reading materials and preliminary discussions about consensus meeting.
February: Review consensus questions, and discuss consensus meeting.
March: Consensus meeting for membership.
April: board meeting to discuss/approve consensus report.
May 1st: Consensus report due to LWVUS.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: February 16, 2012 10:30 PST.