As a citizen attending Ottawa County Board of Commissioner meetings, it is apparent that a large number of county administrators do not see themselves as public servants, but rather as leaders whose job is to increase the size of their departments. At meeting after meeting, public servants describe the work they are doing and new opportunities for ways they can expand their departments by winning grant awards. The work these public servants are doing typically benefits a small fraction of the population, and the new opportunities are not requests made on behalf of the people they serve, but instead are opportunities presented by higher level government agencies.
So, what is the difference between business and government? Who benefits when businesses grow? Who benefits when government grows?
According to the article Public Sector vs. Private Sector: What’s the Difference?
“As private-sector businesses are owned and managed by private individuals or enterprises, businesses within this category focus on entrepreneurial activities, taking risks to create jobs and generate a profit. They are competitive and they have an incentive to be efficient. []
Individuals own private-sector businesses. For example, an individual or group of individuals might own a sole proprietorship or LLC, while shareholders own corporations. Governmental agencies aren’t owned by individuals; they are “owned” by and operate on behalf of the public. []
Public goods, like national defense, benefit everyone equally. These goods are delivered by public-sector organizations and are paid for by taxes. Private goods, like food, vehicles, and homes or offices, benefit individuals and businesses, and only one person or business can consume a specific private good. They are paid for by individuals or businesses. []
Because private-sector businesses are focused on making a profit, they are often considered more productive and competitive. Public-sector organizations, on the other hand, are de facto monopolies. []
As there’s no incentive to make a profit, public organizations tend to be less efficient and less productive.”
Therefore, businesses exist to make a profit whereas governments operate on behalf of the people. In a capitalistic economy, business success is determined by customer demand. When a business supplies a desired product or service, the business is successful. If the business creates an undesirable product or service, the absence of profit results in failure. Contrast this to government. If the government is creating an undesirable product, or providing poor service, it does not matter. Have you ever wasted half the day waiting in line at the Secretary of State? Employees will still be paid because their pay is not dependent upon success, but on money allocated to them through taxes. While supporting activities of government through taxes makes sense when the product or service benefits everyone equally (police departments, road construction, the legal system), many government operations only provide benefits to a small portion of society.
Have you ever heard of a business owner that did not want his/her business to grow? When a business grows, the owners and employees benefit through increased profits. The public also benefits, because whatever product or service that the business is offering is becoming more accessible to more people. The people willingly exchange their money for goods and services. Who benefits when a government department grows? The employees running that department benefit because they have increased funding. Ideally, the beneficiaries of the government product or service should benefit, but we all know this is not the case in practice.
While some people benefit from a mental health service offered by the government, many do not.
While some people may benefit from welfare, many do not.
While some people may benefit from subsidized housing, many do not.
While some people may benefit from subsidized college tuition, many do not.
In addition, the public does not willingly give their money to government in exchange for goods and services. Their money is collected through taxation and redistributed to government departments and employees. How is it determined if a government product or service benefits everyone equally?
Will everyone benefit equally from the Boundary Spanners new grant opportunity from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services? This grant was described around the 13 minute mark by Lynn Doyle from Community Mental Health during the February 21, 2023 Health & Human Services Committee Meeting. “It is intended to help with diversion, deflection, and successful reintegration of individuals involved in the justice system in our jail. ” The grant is worth $214,000 for the first five months and will require three new staff; a diversion liaison (mental health clinician), a community sports specialist (case manager), and a re-entry recovery coach (someone with lived experience).
Will everyone benefit equally from the CCBHC Grant (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic)? This grant was a two-year grant worth $3.8 million dollars awarded to Ottawa County in August 2021. This grant enables the county to provide comprehensive mental health and substance use services. With part of the money, the county is contracting with the YMCA to provide memberships, contracting with Community Action House to teach people how to grocery shop on a budget and how to eat healthy, creating mindfulness groups, and offering cooking classes. This grant supports 14 staff positions.
Who should be offering and paying for these services? Do these services benefit everyone equally or do they create more government bureaucracy? Clearly, communities need to offer services to support residents that have fallen on hard times, and to those who require life-long care, but what about those in the middle? What government department helps people get weaned off of government services? Why is money dispersed via grants rather than via public bid?
Ottawa County Community Mental Health currently employs 129 full time employees. How big do we want our government to get? A significant portion of the funding for this department as well as many others comes from grants offered by higher level governments. Governments operate on behalf of those they represent, yet those they represent are not asking for these services. Furthermore, not every county government wins these grants. If tax dollars are collected by people in Ottawa County, but given to the residents in Wayne County in the form of grants, who benefits?