Contracting In: A New Twist On An Old Idea
In government circles there is a concept known as “contracting out.” The idea is pretty simple. Certain services can be provided by the private sector at a fraction of the cost the government can manage. Things like tree trimming and janitorial services spring most readily to mind, but there’s no reason that any government function can’t be compared with the private sector for cost savings. Liberals hate the notion because it means smaller, less wasteful government.
It appears the Fullerton Collaborative has come up with a new wrinkle: contracting in. It pays a government agency, the Fullerton School District, for one of its employees, Fullerton City Council member Pam Keller, to act as Executive Director. Since the Collaborative also shares the same address as the District we assume they provide a desk and a telephone and a computer, too.
If we apply the notion that it generally costs more for the government to do something than a private citizen, we really have to wonder why the Fullerton Collaborative thinks it’s a good idea to have the School District provide this service. Common sense suggests that they could get a better deal by simply hiring Keller – or anybody else – directly, and cutting out the expensive bureaucratic middle-man. This may be a great deal for Keller, but what’s in it for the Collaborative? Of course some of our more cynical commenters have opined that the Collaborative is Keller!
Our guess is that most folks associated with the Fullerton Collaborative work for, or regularly importune the government at some level for something or other, and can’t quite bend their minds around this idea.
Oh, well.
the more we learn, the more this smells like Chicago Politics at its best! l’m confident that Madam Councilwoman Daley will try and talk her way around this one too. A few bats of the eye lashes, an “I’m just a silly little girl” spin or two and a few kisses on the hand from Boss “Jones” Hogg and of course some more of those smoky back room, itchy gitchy, cash payola deals. Lets make a deal Chicago Politics style right here in good ol Fullerton! Sorry George she is just a “silly little girl” and she doesn’t mean any harm. I wonder if she even knows who George was?
who?
How come nobody from the Collaborative is coming here to clear up this mess? They sent one lonely school board member who failed to read properly and then accused the Shadow of lying but couldn’t back any his vague accusations up with facts. Do they realize how bad this looks?
I can’t imagine that their donors are going to stick around and see how this train wreck ends. How much shadiness can the likes of St. Jude handle?
Shadow and Pam are both right, the new thing in government is contracting in, that contracting out stuff went out with the Bush’s.
And Pam’s right to take the developers money and vote on their projects if that’s what she’s doing, we need those projects to stimulate our economy.
After all, we are the “Education Community” and proud of it.
Go Shadow, Go Pam!
Mr Williams Sir, with all due respect you don’t make any sense? If we are an “Education Community” why would you support teaching the community that excepting bribes/money to win favorable votes by corrupt city council members that benifit hack job developers is acceptable?
No Sir that doesn’t make any sense unless we are the “Education Community” that teaches the members of it’s community corruption at the local politics level is what the members of the community should be learning and that it also stimulates the economy? Mr. Fullerton founded this fine city on high moral standards, honorable principals and upstanding ethics. It seems that many around here have lost sight of that.
In 50 years my guess is all of those buildings that Madam Keller/Daley took the bribes to get the votes through the council will all be dust and the true foundations of Fullerton will still remain.
No one in politics is right sir to take developers money and vote in favor of their projects. Nicely put that is what is known as “stacking the deck”. In Pam’s world that is called fringe benifits. In my world after 25 years of running my own business it would be called asking to wear a pair of stainless steel bracelets that are attached together with one inch of chain behind my back? I’m not good at all with the “I’m just a silly girl routine” however with Ms. Keller/Daleys help I am willing to learn!
Mr. Williams what does the Bush’s have to do with anything here? Does the Councilwoman like to eat Bush’s beans to assit her in creating that smoky back room fog while flopping her hands out for the money from the developers or whoever else needs a vote from her in their favor? “Just say no to Chicago politics here in Fullerton” is my new motto! No go on Pam please as well Sir, Mr Williams Sir.
Maybe you guys have hit on the scam of all scams. Why should the collaborative have an employee of the school district running things? Does Theresa harvey get to take the summer off at the Chamber? How about the director of the Boys and Girls Club or the YMCA?
This does not sit right with me.
Theresa Harvey is on a permanent vacation.
FFFF =
FANTASY, FALSEHOOD, FABRICATION, FICTION
FRANK, FUN, FULFILLING, FANTASTIC
Who do you think is doing a good job on Council and why.