With local, state, and federal governments looking for budget savings just about everywhere, it is important that League members understand the many issues of privatization or outsourcing work to for-profit companies. The Buff Pages in March will provide some information in preparation for our Consensus unit meetings. But you can start to educate yourself even sooner with other options:

• Attend a lunch-time forum at Christ Church Cathedral Undercroft, 4th and Sycamore, 12 noon, Thursday, February 9, planned by the LWVCA and Applied Information Resources (AIR). A panel will discuss issues for the public and government entity to consider before moving a service to the private sector. Carpool with friends and unit members to this discussion. You can bring your lunch, purchase one there, or just attend. More details on LWVCA website here.

• Access the national LWV website and enter "Privatization" as a search item - or you can go directly there with this link. You can read the Consensus Questions and then explore articles that will help you answer them, including: Privatization, The Public Policy Debate, Strategies for Best Practices, and many case studies.

• Other useful articles on privatization:
  • LWV Seattle: 2009 Privatization Study
  • A Guide to Evaluating Public Asset Privatization - a publication of In The Public Interest
  • Privatization Myths Debunked - also from In The Public Interest
  • State of Illinois Report on Privatization