The Union-Tribune Editorial Board (“City won’t turn off its ‘tap’ on taxpayers unless it’s forced to,” Oct. 31) argues for a simple solution to the city’s budget woes: privatize public services.
Despite the author’s suggestion otherwise, this strategy was already attempted years ago when Carl DeMaio was a City Council member and Jerry Sanders was mayor. Street sweeping, landfill operations, fleet maintenance, sidewalk repair and other functions were put through the voter-prescribed managed competition process and offered up to private bidders.
The result? No private contractor was able to offer the city a better deal than its own workers.
These competitions demonstrate that San Diego city employees are delivering critical public services more reliably and cost-effectively than for-profit corporations. Continuing to assert that simply adding a profit motive will somehow generate better results — without a shred of proof — is disingenuous.
Look no further than the city’s current transition to fee-for-service trash pickup. The U-T has reported that private trash haulers are charging many residents more than double the city’s rate. The U-T also reported that private haulers are even reneging on agreements, leaving residents scrambling to find another service.
In areas where the city does utilize private contractors, the city is challenged to provide sufficient oversight, as this paper regularly reports. A rental company recently billed the city millions more than was authorized. A private real estate broker helped structure the 101 Ash Street real estate deal. The most expensive potholes are the ones filled by private contractors rather than city employees. Public parking rates are still well below what any private parking lot charges.
If the Editorial Board wishes to be part of the problem-solving community in San Diego, it needs to be as honest with the public as its news reporters are in their coverage of these issues. The “solutions” this board consistently prioritizes were tried and failed.
Zucchet, an Ocean Beach resident, is general manager of the San Diego Municipal Employees Association.