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Privatization Study

Members: We will begin scheduling study meetings soon, so watch the calendar and your email for dates. Read the study papers at the links below, or review the summaries in the Nov-Dec 2011 and Jan-Feb 2012 issues of the Voter.

Scope of the Study

The Okaloosa League will be participating in the study and consensus process for the on-going LWVUS study on the privatization of government assets and resources. The purpose of this study is to identify the parameters and policy issues that should be considered in connection with proposals to transfer federal, state or local government services, assets and/or functions to the private sector. The study 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.

Organization

The LWVUS formed a Study Committee in late 2010, and the scope of the study was approved by the Board of Directors in April 2011. The committee prepared study materials, a leaders’ guide, consensus questions, and other resources including 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. The studies prepared by the committee also provide suggested policies and parameters to be considered when privatizing. Links to these resources can be found below and also on the LWVUS website.

Timeline

Information is available to Local and State Leagues now. Local Leagues are encouraged to participate in the study by scheduling meetings to educate members about the issue. Consensus is due on May 1, 2012.

Privatization Studies

• Deregulation of Railroads
• Legal Framework of Transparency and Accountability within the Context of Privatization
• Privatization of Prisons
• Privatization: The Public Policy Debate
• Privatization of a Publicly Owned Waste Water Treatment Plant
• Public Library Privatization: A Case Study
• State Level Privatization 2011
• Strategies for Best Practice and Appendices
• Subcontracting Public Education
• Surveying State Laws Addressing Privatization
• Survey of State Privatization Statutes (table)
• Federal Privatization: The Ryan Plan

Other Resources

LWVUS Privatization Study Page

Leaders' Guide for the Privatization Study Consensus

Privatization Study Consensus Questions

Public-Private Partnerships in the U.S. Prison System

Are Private Prisons More Cost-Effective Than Public Prisons? Meta-Analysis of Evaluation Research Studies