Mayor Greg Ballard is a guest speaker for an upcoming tribute to Milton Friedman, famed Nobel Laureate economist with Indiana ties. Hosted by the Friedman Foundation, located in the OneAmerica Tower downtown, Ballard will no doubt gush over Friedman’s principles that embrace complete freedom in society and the market (MUCH more emphasis on the market). It’s sad that he is ignoring the failure of the preferred practical application of Friedman’s ideals right here in Indiana. That is, privatize as much government as you can. Sell off assets and public services. Want more? Talk to her.
In just a short time Governor Mitch Daniels has struck out swinging for the fence with privatization. If this were America’s past time, he’d be hanging his head and walking back to the dugout. Let’s re-cap, shall we?
Strike 1 – privatization of the New Castle correctional facility. We get $61,000,000 and a riot in the state’s only private prison due to an understaffed facility.
Strike 2 – FSSA – A Bush II era federal agency lays it down on you hard for being too lax? ouch.
Strike 3 – Toll Road privatization – Major Moves filled the coffers with $3,800,000,000 dollars, yet 20 of our busiest bridges still need work? Nationally, we’re categorized as lagging behind in repair? Granted, they are not structurally dangerous, but really? Strike 3 for not being able to manage that sudden infusion of money. Instead, we get main street widening projects in Dunkirk, IN. Now, I like Dunkirk. I grew up there. But I’d rather spend money on these bridges than partially widening a road to and from nowhere as well as ripping out dozens and dozens of trees that gave Main Street Dunkirk a quaint feel. But I digress.
Greg Ballard needs to spend more time on getting a budget in on time, addressing crime and its roots, and less time dreaming about Friedmanism (and stamping out pan handlers and cricket team tournaments, does this list keep going on??). Just because you are running a deficit this year, doesn’t mean you get to sell out the city for years to come with some upcoming privatization deal. Tighten the belt, don’t be fooled, and don’t sell off our future.
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August 12, 2008 at 11:30 am
[...] easy answers in privatizing his call center Jump to Comments So, perhaps mayor Ballard has caught ”Friedman Fever” after all. The Indianapolis Star reports that Ballard has sought [...]