Hooray for Public Services


There is a myth abroad that privatizing public services will lead to lead to greater efficiency, and financial savings.

It is a conservative myth, one that does not stand up under rigorous scrutiny.  

I am grateful for public services. I am grateful because they have to to with service to the wider and broader community.  I think that service is the glue which holds communities together. 

Privatization's bottom line is profit, and in that quest for profit,  service takes a lowly place.

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I have previously written about the Sarasota County (FL) Tax Collector's Office which provides an essential public service with enormous efficiency and gracious staff.

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NOW IT IS MY TIME TO LAUD THE SARASOTA COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.

I recently took out a book from the "new" stack:  -  "The Road to Little Dribbling" , by Bill Bryson, (Doubleday 2015).

Since the book was new to the stacks in the   Sarasota County Fruitville Library my initial borrowing time was two weeks (makes sense to me - this policy keeps new books in circulation).

My two weeks were almost up  and as I had not finished reading the book  I phoned the Library to request an extension.

THAT EXTENSION WAS GRANTED (please hold your breath) in a 'phone call which lasted for one minute and eighteen seconds.

I dare you to imagine a 'phone call to the private sector (your bank. your credit card company, an airline, your internet provider, your cable T.V. supplier) in which your problem was resolved in one minute and eighteen seconds.

Hooray for pubic service!


Fruitville Library, Sarasota County, FL.

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