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Recent Research and Commentary

From Oakland to Chicago to Jacksonville, Mayors Are Using Privatization

Private trash collection would help Fresno's long-term financial health

May 31, 2013

Leonard Gilroy, Adrian Moore

Next month’s special election on contracting out Fresno’s residential trash collection to help balance the city’s budget will hopefully end the long-running battle over something that shouldn’t have been controversial in the first place. In California, cities like Riverside, Oakland and Torrance already use private trash collectors. It’s a service that is regularly privatized across the country.

New at Reason: Savings for Fresno—The Role of Privatization

May 30, 2013, 7:00am

Leonard Gilroy

Like their peers in many municipalities across the country, Fresno policymakers are currently considering what role privatization should play in addressing their current and future fiscal challenges. However, privatization is a complex subject and takes many forms, so it is helpful to have an overview of the subject in deciding how to use privatization moving forward.

Savings for Fresno: The Role of Privatization

As Fresno navigates budget challenges, privatization can lower costs and put performance, results first

May 29, 2013

Leonard Gilroy, Adrian Moore

Like their peers in many municipalities across the country, Fresno policymakers are currently considering what role privatization should play in addressing their current and future fiscal challenges. However, privatization is a complex subject and takes many forms, so it is helpful to have an overview of the subject in deciding how to use privatization moving forward.

Reason's Len Gilroy Talks TVA Privatization, Annual Privatization Report on Heartland Institute Podcast

May 23, 2013, 3:54pm

Leonard Gilroy

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the Heartland Institute's Steve Stanek for an episode of their Heartland Daily Podcast, where we discussed President Obama's recent budget proposal to study a potential privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

How to Avoid Closing Washington State Parks

May 17, 2013, 1:57pm

Leonard Gilroy

Many thanks to the Washington Policy Center for publishing my legislative memo today on how to avoid the closure of dozens of Washington State parks, as Gov. Inslee has proposed if his tax increase package fails to advance

Cutting the Debt Is Important to 96 Percent of Americans and 74 Percent Want a Government Spending Cap

Tired of red ink and politics as usual, 80 percent say they’d consider voting for a third-party or independent presidential candidate in 2012

May 3, 2011

As the federal government rapidly approaches the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, 96 percent of Americans say it is important to reduce the national debt, according to a new Reason Foundation-Rupe poll. Of those surveyed, 69 percent believe reducing the national debt is “very important.”

With the debt piling up, it is also clear that taxpayers do not trust the federal government to live within its means. In fact, the Reason-Rupe survey finds 74 percent of Americans support implementing a spending cap that would prohibit the government from spending more money than it takes in during a fiscal year. Only 19 percent oppose a government spending cap.

The most popular policy prescription for reducing the national debt is spending cuts: 45 percent of people say Congress should bring down the debt by reducing spending without raising taxes. Another 16 percent favor reducing the debt primarily through spending cuts, but are open to some tax increases; 14 percent prefer an equal emphasis on spending cuts and tax increases; 8 percent want to reduce the debt primarily through higher taxes with some spending cuts; 4 percent say current spending levels should be maintained and taxes should be raised as needed; and 1 percent of Americans say we shouldn’t do anything about the debt.

The Reason-Rupe poll included several open-ended questions that allowed respondents to voice concerns and share their own ideas. When asked to name the biggest problem facing America today, 30 percent say the economy, 23 percent emphasize jobs and unemployment, and 10 percent cite government spending, debts and deficits.

When given the opportunity to name any government program they’d like to spend less money on 22 percent of Americans suggest cutting military and defense spending.

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