PADM 7260DEMOCRACY AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Kim Berryman-DagesGregory Gates

Bryan LaBrecque Judd Quarles

TOPIC…

How Does the Government Actually Operate and…

…What Role Does the Public Administrator Play In It?

FOUR KEY COMPONENTS…

To answer the question posed, we will focus on four important components…

The Vision of the Framers of the US ConstitutionPresident Woodrow Wilson’s OpinionsThe Role of Public Administrators in Today’s Policy MakingThe Pros and Cons of “Out-sourcing” Government Services (aka “Size of Government)

WHAT TYPE OF GOVERNMENT DID THE FRAMERS OF THE

CONSTITUTION ENVISION?

BACKGROUND…

During infancy, the US framers were unsure what type of government they desired, but were convinced of one they shunned… Care for a

spot of tea?

BACKGROUND (CONT)…

Articles of Confederation (1781)Federalist v. Anti-Federalists Central Government and State Government

Constitutional Convention Participation/Representation Factions/Special Interests Separation of Powers

Ratification (1789)Bill of Rights (1791)

KEY PLAYERS…

FederalistsAlexander HamiltonJames MadisonJohn JayGeorge WashingtonBen Franklin

Anti-FederalistsThomas JeffersonPatrick HenryThomas PaineGeorge MasonGeorge Clinton

KEY ISSUES…

FederalistsStrong Central Gov’tAbility to TaxAbility to Wage WarNational Government Would Foster More CommercePreserving Order

Anti-FederalistsGovernment should rest with StatesPersonal Liberties Unprotected – No Bill of RightsCentral Power - TyrannicalCongress - AristocraticBelieved the Federalist Form of Government was Untested

Unanimity was clearly not one of the objectives of the framers of the US Constitution!! Similar arguments

continue to simmer today…

WHAT WERE WOODROW WILSON’S OPINIONS OF THE WAY GOVERNMENT WAS OPERATING ?

WOODROW WILSON (1856-1924)

President - 1913 to 1921 Exponent of Progressive Reform

Movement Scholar

Faculty Member at Bryn Mawr, Wesleyan, and Princeton

Visiting “Lecturer of Administration” at Johns Hopkins Notable Works

Congressional Government – 1885The Study of Administration – 1887

• Significant Starting Point in the Study of Public Administration

Good Administration was not Common in U.S.Characterized by:

CorruptionConfusionSinecurismObscurityFraudInefficiency

Civil servants were a Class of Politicians

HIS OPINION OF GOVERNMENT OPERATION

Government Too Focused on Political Issues when Administrative Issues were More Critical

WHAT WERE WOODROW WILSON’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITS ADMINISTRATION?

Abolish or Alter System of Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances Unnecessarily Created Obscurity and Inefficiency

Promote Effectiveness, Efficiency, Formalized Administrative Law, Hierarchical Organization, and Professional and Educated Public Servants Believed all could be promoted simultaneously with

democracy

Politics-Administration Dichotomy Firm Stance on Issue is Questionable

Study of Administration as a Science Called for Comparative Study of Administration

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION

WHO DO YOU SEE AS THE ACTUAL POLICY MAKERS TODAY?

WHO IS INVOLVED IN POLICYMAKING?

Citizens and interest groups can play a large role in setting the policy agenda.The media also plays a role in setting the policy agenda.Executive Branch President, Governors, Local Executives

Legislatures Congress, State Legislatures, Local Legislative Bodies

Agencies Organizations that actually decide how policy will be

implemented

THE COURTS AS POLICYMAKERS?

Much research has focused on the court systems actions in a policymaking contextIdeological compositions of courts can shape policymaking in a preemptive way. Lawmakers are concerned about the ultimate fate

of laws. “Limited political capital” of lawmakers. Relations between policymakers and state Supreme

Courts are important in many states. Hostile relationships- reductions in enactment of

laws. Friendly relationships- more enactment of laws.

WHERE DOES THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR FIT IN?

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR…Formally had a role of party loyalist and one of ensuring needs of political supporters. Example: the Machine system with party

“bosses.”

Now mostly serves as an agent of the government. Important linkage between the profession,

government, and citizens. Often involved in influencing policies that affect

their department.

Must exercise some autonomy to make tough decisions as how to get things done. Implementation

Agent to help make citizens happy. Public input, encouragement of participation

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CONTRACT OUT SERVICES?

PPP or P3Term PPP is fairly new termConcept of using private capital to provide public facilities is very old

PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

17th century France constructed canals 18th and early 19th century Britain road repairsUntil mid-19th century most of London’s bridges Late 19th century the Brooklyn Bridge in New York

CONCEPT OF USING PRIVATE CAPITAL TO PROVIDE PUBLIC FACILITIES

The public sector reform movement (New Public Management) in the 1980s to accomplish:

Decentralization of governmentSeparate purchase of public services from provisionOutput/performance based measurement for public servicesContract out public services to the private sectorPrivatization of public services

PPP A RESULT OF:

Act of reducing role of government or increasing the role of the other institutions to produce goods and services A Public-Private Partnership is a contractual agreement between a public agency and a private sector entity

Skills and assets of each sector shared in delivering a service or facility for the use of the general publicEach party shares in the risks and rewards potential

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) DEFINITION

Transportation Social infrastructure Public utilities Government offices Specialized services

PPP EXAMPLES…

WHO’S IN CHARGE?

Depends on the Form of Government

(Historically five forms: council-manager, mayor-council, commission, town meeting and representative town meeting)

Contract ExecutionPublic/ Private Entity Leadership

WHO IS IN CHARGE?

PROS AND CONS OF CONTRACTING

Mass transit

Hotels and Malls

Downtown development districts

POSITIVE ASPECTS OF CONTRACTING

Sandy Springs, Georgia

After incorporation, and during recession, Sandy Springs, GA$14 million surplus$21 million reserve

Paved more roads in the community than county in past 20 years

New parks, established 125 person police force, and 89 firefighters with all new equipment

Improved EMS capability, established a state-of- the art, joint electronic 911 service with another city

Five new GA cities, ranging in size from 2,500 to almost 100,000

Cost per capita of the traditional cities to 5 PPP cities 128% higher

PPP “DARLING” (EXAMPLE)

Log-rolling and pork-barrel politics

Weakened market tests

Weaker Management

Lack of innovation

Corruption

Crowding Out

NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF CONTRACTING

CONCLUSIONS…

How does the Government Actually Operate and What Role Does the Public Administrator Play in it? Government operation is a complex combination

of administration, bureaucracy, politics, public and private agendas, mixed in with a touch of business principles

The Public Administrator’s primary role is to “wade into this pool” and extricate the policies (at times influencing and/or adjusting them) and then implement steps to execute the policies in an effective and hopefully, an efficient manner.

QUESTIONS?

Bryan LaBrecque – Framers

Gregory Gates – Woodrow Wilson

Judd Quarles – Policy Makers

Kim Berryman-Dages - Outsourcing