No, government doesn’t provide better, cheaper services

Re “Record of ‘managed comp’ is hardly impressive” (Nov. 7): While headlines about corporate restructuring abound, our tone-deaf mayor, City Council, county supervisors, state legislators and union leaders keep saying they need more money. Michael Zucchet wrote that city employees provide demonstrably cheaper and better services. His assertion that there are no examples of private sector employees performing better and for less cost than city employees is laughable.  Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technical solutions saved governments billions 30-plus years ago.

Private employers are subject to competition. Hence, their aforementioned responsible actions.  Governments aren’t, except when forced through the will of the people who voted years ago requiring bidding for services between government and private providers. Simply put, the free market is correcting itself due to the economics facing businesses. Government, free from the inconvenience of competition, simply continues to ask for more money rather than restructure within appropriate economic realities.

Stop the madness. Vote. Them. All. Out.

— Tom Burke, University City