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Thread ID: 117614	2011-04-26 21:51:00	Councils, a good question.....	Cicero (40)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1197297	2011-04-26 21:51:00	Local government, Muriel Newman Here is a story from reason.tv that should provide inspiration to our local government sector. Sandy Springs is town of around 100,000 inhabitants in Georgia, USA - similar in size to Tauranga, Hamilton and Dunedin. Since its incorporation in 2005, it has outsourced all of its services except the Police and Fire Service. As a result, it has improved infrastructure, has no long-term liabilities and has kept rates flat. Why can't local councils here in New Zealand follow suit?	Cicero (40)
1197298	2011-04-26 22:26:00	Bearing in mind the local government structure in the US is wildly different from that in NZ, what services are you suggesting should be outsourced? And as much as I am a supporter of free market, the question needs to be asked: are there any other shining examples, or is Sandy Springs just an anomaly, successful because of very specific and special circumstances?	johcar (6283)
1197299	2011-04-26 22:30:00	reason.tv Keep in mind that we are a socialist nanny state...	Cato (6936)
1197300	2011-04-26 22:50:00	Yeah, thats right, no job protection for workers and no pensions. Let them starve. Typical rightwing bollox.	martynz (5445)
1197301	2011-04-26 23:14:00	Local government, Muriel Newman Here is a story from reason.tv that should provide inspiration to our local government sector. Sandy Springs is town of around 100,000 inhabitants in Georgia, USA - similar in size to Tauranga, Hamilton and Dunedin. Since its incorporation in 2005, it has outsourced all of its services except the Police and Fire Service. As a result, it has improved infrastructure, has no long-term liabilities and has kept rates flat. Why can't local councils here in New Zealand follow suit? Good questions there johcar. I don't think it is so much outsourcing that can achieve that but more good governance. The thing I have about outsourcing is that apart from most wages the money is then disappearing out of the district.	mikebartnz (21)
1197302	2011-04-26 23:25:00	Papakura sold off their water supply to some anglo-French consortium. The performance would seem a pretty good argument against the practice, higher prices for poorer service and there's no responsible drongo within 10,000 miles that you can actually grasp by both hands around the throat while explaining that you are mildly miffed by the latest fiasco.	R2x1 (4628)
1197303	2011-04-27 00:25:00	. Sandy Springs is town of around 100,000 inhabitants in Georgia, USA - . Since its incorporation in 2005, it has outsourced all of its services except the Police and Fire Service. As a result, it has improved infrastructure, has no long-term liabilities and has kept rates flat. How nice for the council. But I betcha the citizens still pay for those services and probably more.	pctek (84)
1197304	2011-04-27 00:52:00	local road maintenance is out sourced. Noticed how many roads get dug up & resealed, despite not actually needing it. The contractors are hardly likely to tell the council the road is fine & doesnt need repairs. My tiny st has been resealed 3x. Plus, now that councils dont repair roads, how will they know what a reasonable cost is . Not that they care, someone else's money. Councils used to own Local power companies. Power costs gone down yet ??	1101 (13337)
1197305	2011-04-27 01:49:00	Outsourcing works fine if you not the AK city council that just seemed to spend like they still owned the operations and it seemed to be purely to keep their contractors in jobs. How many times in 5 years to you have to replace speed humps or tank traps or make raised intersections and resurface the road ??	paulw (1826)
1197306	2011-04-27 19:53:00	Yeah, thats right, no job protection for workers and no pensions. Let them starve. Typical right wing bollox. I wouldn't worry about the people you represent, they are mostly on the dole or similar, so not subjected to earning a living.	Cicero (40)
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