1. John Locke Foundation’s first annual County Privatization Survey
I wish to call your attention to the results of the John Locke Foundation’sFirst Annual County Privatization Survey. We surveyed all 100 counties asking county managers for examples of privatization activities in their counties. We received responses from 44 counties.
We hope this first-of-its-kind effort will stimulate discussions among county managers and county commissioners about ways to improve county services while saving hard-earned taxpayer money.
2. Cary loses impact-fee case — again
According to The News & Observer, Cary lost its appeal on its Adequate Public Facility Ordinance (APFO).
The town illegally required developers and homebuilders to set aside money for schools in exchange for approving their projects, the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
The ruling, reaffirming a lower court decision, means Cary may have to pay close to $1 million to a group of builders — and that others may request similar refunds.
From 1999 to 2004, Cary required developers to get the Wake County school system to certify that there were enough seats in town schools to handle the residents of new homes. In lieu of the school district’s approval, builders and developers could pay fees to the town.
The court ruled that the town had no statutory authority to adopt an APFO. The Locke Foundation has argued that APFOs are a form of extortion. If Vinnie says that you cannot build a house unless you pay the "fee," it seems like an extortion scheme straight out of the Mafia’s handbook. Calling it a "voluntary mitigation" fee is an Orwellian ploy to cover the fact that it is extortion. Besides lacking statutory authority, it would seem that city council members would be embarrassed to engage in a scheme that common decency says is immoral and unethical.
3. Many cities are reevaluating and cutting some of their money-losing "fun stuff"
The Star Tribune in Minneapolis notes that cities that run art centers, golf courses, community centers, and swimming pools are reevaluating their taxpayer subsidies to these "fun stuff" activities. We have argued in favor of such reevaluation for years. Here is a link to our eight reports on city owned and operated golf courses, which documented huge taxpayer subsidies going to golfers.
According to the Star Tribune:
[Edina, Minn. Mayor Jim] Hovland agrees that enterprise operations need to be more efficient. But he bristles at the idea that they should function as businesses do. He said cities run things like ice arenas at a loss because residents want them but businesses can’t make a profit from them.
With all due respect Mayor Hovland, it is more accurate to say that special interests like golfers, ice skaters, artsy types, etc., want these activities, and they want other city residents to pay for their favorite pastimes.
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