Consolidation...Really?

Forecasting and Economic Development Subcommittee
Draft Report
December 8, 2009
Subcommittee Members:
Rick Harper, Chair
Jeremy Brown
Doris Harris
John Peacock
Richard Stone

Page 10 Of FINAL REPORT

Nevertheless, we can draw several relevant conclusions from existing studies. First, although there are some government service provision activities that will likely experience gains in quality, effectiveness (in service delivery) and modest gains in efficiency, the literature suggests that significant gains in efficiency are unlikely. Second, consolidation efforts may make it possible to achieve more effective long-term decision making processes that encourage regional development. These may result in a small increase in economic development, but these increases are perhaps more likely to improve income distribution than to encourage broad-based economic growth. Third, the morale problems that may arise from efforts to consolidate could potentially diminish any sort of benefits consolidation could bring—especially when governmental units, pay, and tax structures differ considerably. Beyond this, it is difficult to speculate based on the existing literature and its review of existing cases as to whether a proposed consolidation would be beneficial to a community.

Link to Entire document:
http://eccsc.org/subcommittees/edfc_final.pdf

Pensacola's Promise

On Monday January 11th I will have to opportunity to present the Pensacola's Promise plan during the Committee of the Whole at 3:15pm in the Hagler Mason Conference Room on the 2nd Floor of City Hall.

The Promise plan offers the City of Pensacola an opportunity to transform the fabric or our community by allowing citizens graduating from our public schools to attend college on the Pensacola's Promise Plan.

The following links are resources from a national network that has developed over the past 3 years in Communities around the United States that have implemented similar scholarship programs.

www.promisenet.2008

www.promisenet.us


I will ask our City Council to form a Committee of Community Leaders and Educators to investigate this opportunity further. Please join me on Monday!