Commentary

States catch anti-outsourcing fever

Sometimes state governments ship government jobs oversees to save money at home. But now 35 states are considering measures that would ban or sharply restrict offshore outsourcing. Some states ban, then un-ban: Kansas lawmakers were outraged when they learned that Kansans’ calls about food stamps would be handled in India and wrote a ban into this year’s budget. Then they learned the state would pay $640,000 more, or a 38 percent increase, for the calling center contract. Budget negotiators scrapped the provision.