Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Private Sector gets a pass, government blamed instead.

What am I missing here?

The recent editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal whined that “state taxpayers deserve better” when it comes to government managing its money. But if I’m not mistaken, in each and every case, the private sector is in some way involved in the problems below. Yet the private sector know-it-alls never get blamed for anything.

If it wasn't for state audits, we may never have discovered the following problems caused by our private sector geniuses:
There's the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. The quasi-public state agency dedicated to economic development failed to track more than $50 million in loans, including about $12 million in overdue loans, according to an audit.

The Department of Children and Families also is accusing a foster care placement service of over billing the state for $6.1 million and using some of the money for sprawling homes, fancy vehicles and vacations.

The latest UW over-payment problems follow a 2007 fiasco in which UW System canceled a $28.4 million payroll system before it was finished.
All of the above problems involved the private sector. And each time, government took the fall.

Putting a little faith in both the public and private sector is possible, but with lots of government regulation and oversight thrown in for good measure. Unless all of these rules and regulations are more trouble than they're worth?

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