County Workers Deserve Chance

During much of the recent bankruptcy period and even before, privatization has been a buzzword for government reform in Orange County.

But what about when municipal workers themselves choose to organize and bid on a service? Shouldn’t they also be given due consideration along with the private sector? The answer should be yes.

The issue came before the Board of Supervisors recently when county staff recommended the awarding of a $1.6-million contract for a job training program. A group of county employees had submitted a lower bid than an outside firm that two years ago had taken over the work from the county as part of a privatization effort.

The supervisors voted to reject the proposal after much discussion. They praised the ingenuity of workers but raised concerns about the fairness of the bidding process and questioned the message the decision might send to a public that wants less government.

The first concern seems valid enough. The private firm, Maximus Inc. of Sacramento, argued that bidding criteria did not clearly state that success in job placement would be a key deciding factor. It says it has had a higher placement rate per employee.

Surely it would be fair to have clearer procedures established, and the supervisors, after rejecting the proposal made by county employees, did agree to reconsider the idea next year. They should be open to such a bid.

Rejecting a proposal simply because it comes from the public sector would amount to the rejection of government simply because it is government. Privatization should be regarded as a tool, not as a rigid ideology.

The county in fact has made good use of privatizing in spot situations in the past. But it is clear that there are some instances where public sector work may prove to be better, or more efficient, or cheaper.

In the case of this contract, Diane M. Edwards, director of Adult and Employment Services, says that county workers consistently placed more clients in jobs than did the private firm.

Since getting people off welfare and reducing the cost of government are worthwhile objectives, it would be difficult to justify opposing bids from county workers just because that’s who they are.