From out For Bid - To Out To Lunch

During last night's commission meeting, the Kissimmee City Commission decided to, once again, run from a simple and good decision for taxpayers, and instead create an opportunity to expand the size and cost of government. The decision was based on discussion item 8B - "Solid Waste Franchise Agreement" and whether or not city government should open up the bidding process to allow other private companies an opportunity to bid on a contract that Waste Management has enjoyed for many years. As we noted in our article from yesterday, the decision should be simple. Open the contract up for bidding so a selection committee could decided what the best option for the taxpayers of our community. Even the opposite of that, which would be to keep the contract with Waste Management would have been an acceptable choice based on staff's accounts of the quality level of service the company has provided to the city. Of course leave it to our city commission to stick a square peg in a round hole.

The decision that was made was to extend the contract with Waste Management for 1 year and, in that time, have staff research how government can take over the and replace the private component of solid waste collection. Basically, our commissioners just decided to increase the size of government and increase the price tag it takes to run it. All of this while at the same time deciding government should force out private competition. This decision will allow government to take over private business interests even though the testimony from staff clearly showed that quality and cost were not issues. The commission just took a simple decision and turned it into a lose-lose situation for the residents and businesses of our city.

So what is next on this issue? Simply put, residents are going to hear alot of imaginary service, cost, and valuation arguments based on fictitious information from other municipalities. This is how government hides itself in its protective bubble and internally justifies bad decisions. Staff will put together a power pointless presentation and answer 'we don't know' to any real questions that get asked. The community will be told that the takeover will cost one price, but then in the next budget cycle the numbers will jump much higher. Then, as we have experienced so many times in the past, fees will be raised or created to cover the hidden costs of the expansion of government. Then when the public decides to fight back to stop the increase in fees, government will threaten to cut other services to shut them up. Just watch the upcoming discussion on Fire Fee increases if you don't believe us.

The point of this article is simple. Limited government that can live within its budget can not continue to conquer and expand itself. There is a huge difference between going out to bid to test the markets and expanding government into a socialist state. As our leaders head into budget workshops to decide how to make necessary cuts to survive the upcoming year, does it make any sense to be planning to add more expenses? Maybe in the "government is that answer to everything" bubble, it does. The WayneWho staff just doesn't fit in that bubble.