HARRISBURG – As promised in his budget address, Gov. Tom Corbett announced he has created a new Governor’s Advisory Council on Privatization and Innovation to explore if any functions now performed by state government might be better and more cost-effectively performed by the private sector.
“We have an obligation to taxpayers to find new and innovative ways to make government more efficient,” Governor Corbett said. “This panel will further evaluate potential privatization, public-private partnerships or managed-competition opportunities with the ultimate goal of streamlining government and saving taxpayers’ dollars.”
Council members will help the commonwealth conduct a thorough examination of state government functions and services to determine whether the state is providing the most cost-efficient and transparent government that taxpayers deserve.
The council’s mission is to use innovation to achieve a combination of quality, cost savings, expertise and effectiveness. It will also examine roadblocks to sensible privatization, drawing on the experiences of past privatization efforts.
“Many people may not recognize it, but privatization has been successful in government for many years. From snow removal services to social services, private job-creators have been doing work that government bodies simply could not do without an increased cost to taxpayers and a drop in efficiencies,” Corbett said. “Too often, debates over privatization fail to recognize this simple fact – it’s already working to the benefit of taxpayers.”
Government entities all across the U.S. have come to rely on and trust the services and networks delivered by public, private and nonprofit organizations. Pennsylvania needs to evaluate where it can provide better services to the citizens at an efficient cost, Corbett added.
Council members serve in a voluntary, uncompensated capacity. The council will work continuously, meaning it will not sunset.
Editor’s Note: A list of council members follows.
Robert B. Asher, Gwynedd Valley
John A. Barbour (chair), Mars
Matthew J. Brouillette, Hershey
Peter N. Calcara, Mechanicsburg
Jerome Cochran, Pittsburgh
Laura E. Ellsworth, Sewickley
Gerald E. Feldman, Bradford Woods
Varsovia Fernandez, Ardmore
Charlie Gerow, Mechanicsburg
William P. Hankowsky, Philadelphia
Mark Hanna, Venetia
Melissa A. Hart, Bradford Woods
Raymond W. Hoover, Camp Hill
Richard G. Jewell, Grove City
James E. McErlane, Malvern
J. Paul McMillen, Camp Hill
John D. Moran Jr., Lewisburg
Jonathan H. Newman, Bryn Mawr
James C. Roddey, Oakmont
Sue Schick, Merion Station
Andrew J. Sordoni III, Forty Fort
Robert S. Walker, Lititz
Joseph P. Watkins, Philadelphia
Dennis Yablonsky, Presto
SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor