DOT (WI) Outsourcing Costs Taxpayers Millions

Source: Channel 3000.com




DOT Outsourcing Costs Taxpayers Millions
Private Contractors Tapped As Number Of State Engineers Declines

Updated: 8:24 am CDT May 25, 2011

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is spending millions of dollars on outside contractors when even state officials admit the work can be done cheaper by state employees.

Declining numbers of state engineers and retirements are bringing the issue of private consultants to the forefront, and the total price tag may come as a surprise for some taxpayers.

In the first four months of this year, it cost taxpayers a total of $13.8 million extra to have private engineering consultants do work on projects rather than state employees, WISC-TV reported.

"Right now, what's happening is we're paying someone else to do it for more money," said Mark Klipstein, president of the State Engineering Association.

Read more: http://www.channel3000.com/news/28011608/detail.html

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Walker is also spending millions of taxpayer dollars on UNneeded Capitol security. Yet,he and his Repug poodles are raging about fiscal responsiblity.

presumably as a way to funnel money back to your friends and supporters. I wonder if the consultants ever consider whether their jobs will be outsourced one day.

This is another story Dem pols need to tell better.

In fact, it raises costs, often substantially.

I just wish the Democratic Party would provide some pushback for this talking point for once..

way as the government agency. The only difference is that the private group then must tack on some profit.

By definition, the private solution will have to cost more. And this is assuming good faith. When you use crooked bastards after you privatize, then costs will go through the ceiling.

Agencies work for cost. Companies work for cost plus. It's that simple.

Take Blackwater. Their mercenaries were and are earning
sometimes 3 or more times what a soldier is earning.
This creates resentment on the part of our soldiers.

Remember the horrible conditions at that building at
Walter Reid. Privatization.

Privatization is Republican ideology.

Why do Democrats remain mute.

yes, here is the correct answer!


http://dancody.org/archives/latest-example-of-government-outsourcing-actually-costing-taxpayers-more.html


....So where's the outrage from the TEA party types who hate wasteful government spending or from anyone on the right (and who thinks wasting tax dollars is a bad idea for that matter?

The answer? It's never been about "saving money". Gov. Walker proved this as Milwaukee County Exec. several times. Most recently when it turned out that his plan to "save money" by firing County security guards and privatizing security actually cost the County twice as much as it would have normally. Instead of getting a reduced price, we got double billed.

It's never been about "saving money" because if it were, you'd have the same kind of cries and howls from the right that you get when a teacher retires before the age of 65.

What it's about is killing off public worker employee unions. Every consultant is one less union member after all. If we as taxpayers have to pay a couple million dollars to enforce the GOP ideology of fewer government workers, that's just how it works.