Privatization Efforts

Today, Orange County will have an extraordinary opportunity to move toward identifying privatization opportunities in county government.

A proposal to explore privatization of the Environmental Management Agency presents an exciting first step toward reducing the costs of local government and improving the delivery and quality of public services. It’s a first step that the supervisors should take aggressively and without delay.

The board will have strong support from the business community. The Orange County Business Council has consistently advocated an entire package of responses which includes asset sales, restructuring, right-sizing and privatization.

It’s a sound decision, from both a political and a business perspective, to start the process with the county’s most visible agency.

Because of the visibility of the EMA, the county has attracted the interest of very highly qualified firms in the management field--firms with national reputations and reach, willing and able to invest resources in the process and who bring worldwide experience to the Orange County table.

It obviously makes sense for the county to look at these credible, experienced experts in the field who would work along with EMA staff to develop the most appropriate model.

The supervisors have started a good positive process and they deserve our enthusiastic support in moving forward.

WAYNE WEDIN

Placentia