EMERGING TRENDS IN MARKET-ORIENTED GOVERNMENT
The traditional political theory that government services should be paid for by tax dollars is being reexamined by a number of innovative municipal, county and state governments.
Burman (1998) analyzes the situation succinctly in the Government Executive:
AAs the federal government continues to downsize, streamline and reinvent itself, the conundrum of the 1950s and '60s comes to mind: >How much is enough?= Today, however, the question doesn't apply to nuclear arsenals, but to people. Is there a right size for the government, and how do you define it?@ (Burman, 1998,62).
That question suggests the scope of re-invention that is going on in the United States today. In this paper, three particular examples of successful market-oriented governments will be examined. The examination will feature three case studies:
The first case study examined will feature innovation at the city level (Tallahassee Florida).
The second case study will involve an innovative county government (Cuyahoga County, Ohio).
The third case study will involve a regional, cross county innovation (SCAQMD). The paper will conclude with a discussion of the Federal Government=s reexamination of use fees.
Tallahassee Florida: Market Orientation on a City Level
In 1986, the City of Tallahassee was facing a problem shared by many cities across America. Specifically, how can you fund infrastructure improvement (sewer upgrades) without creating unfair taxation.
The city planners faced a specific problem -- storm water runoff -- with a very logical solution. Institute a user fee utility tax that related directly to how much land area is devoted to surfaces that do not permit water to sink into the soil.
According to the case study text, AThe tax is charged monthly to property owners based on the magnitude of their generation of storm water runoff. The amount of the fee is determined b...