Allocation of Public Goods and Services
The government collects taxes from its citizens to finance its operations. Often, governmental operations are tailored towards the provision of public goods and services to promote the general welfare (Bertelli, 2019). Most of the services provided by the government are expensive, and it would only be accessible to individuals who are economically empowered. Public goods are non-exclusive and non-viral in consumption, so when one person consumes them, the other is not hindered from accessing the services. Examples of goods and services provided by the government include the internet, schools, safety services by the police, roads, and infrastructure in general, water, and recreation facilities. A local government should ensure an optimum supply of public goods to promote social welfare (Bertelli, 2019). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the allocation of public goods and services in Waukesha County in Wisconsin from 2018 to 2020.
Goals and priorities
The vision of Waukesha County is to be a county that is safe, secure, well managed, and with excellent infrastructure. For the county to achieve these goals, a large proportion of the county’s revenue is allocated to the general government, public safety, and public works departments (Village of Summit n.d.) From 2018 to 2020, expenditure on public safety has remained the highest, followed by public works and general governments, respectively. The priorities and goals of the county are as follows:
Safety and security in the county
This is the priority in Waukesha County. In 2019, the expenditure on public safety was the highest, and it accounted for approximately 41.3% of the government’s expenditure. The expenditure on public safety has also escalated from $1.42 million in 2017 to $1.63 million in 2019. Public safety includes emergency services, police services, fire services, and inspection services. The county government ensures vibrant neighborhoods and a safe business environment by involving the police in community service programs. By doing so, the police work in collaboration with community members to address crime and safety concerns while working towards a safe environment. According to (), when communities work with the police, crime rates reduce substantially. Another program that aims at the safe and secure county is the fire department. Often, fires are accidents, and it can be harmful if interventions are not instituted immediately in the occurrence of a fire outbreak. So, the fire department aims at mitigating the effects of a fire outbreak by reducing the time between the outbreak and response to the event. By combining the efforts of the police, the community, and the department of fire, Waukesha County will achieve safety and security.
Good infrastructure
The goal of Waukesha County is to be well planned, environmentally sensitive, and sustainable. Infrastructure refers to a broad term that includes the transport system, water, communication system, and sewerage services. The public works department of the county is responsible for ensuring a sustainable and environmentally friendly infrastructure. In 2019, 24.02% of the expenditure was on public works, which increased from 22.9% in 2017 (Village of Summit n.d.)
Economic strength and diversity
For the government to realize a safe and well-developed county, it should be economically stable. Therefore, the government channels its resources to retaining and expanding businesses to attract new businesses and high-quality jobs to promote quality redevelopment.
Evaluation of challenges in the provision of goods and services
The allocation of resources across city departments has been a significant challenge. For instance, there has been a shortage of funds to realize a well-equipped infrastructure. Also, communication between law enforcement departments and the public has been deemed as ineffective in the fight against crime. Externally, there has been a reduction in state and federal state government funding, which has made the provision of goods and services challenging for the local government.
Budget stabilization measures
One of the significant budget stabilization measures in Waukesha city is a general fund often referred to as the “rainy day fund.” This fund is set aside by the government to be used during budget deficit times and when there is an unexpected revenue shortfall. By the end of 2019, the revenue from the general fund was approximately $0.84. According to Pruetz, 2017, the general fund is effective in mitigating the effects of revenue volatility. Another measure in stabilizing the city’s budget is by ensuring all citizens diligently pay their taxes. By doing so, the government will have adequate revenue to function effectively. Therefore, the government institutes measures to curb tax evasion by its citizens.
Recommendations
The provision of public goods and services is a recurring practice, for instance, public safety. Therefore, Waukesha’s government should focus on development projects which generate revenue. If this is done, the government will have a stable source of income to finance the provision of essential services to its residents as well as earning profit in the future. Second, for consistency in the provision of goods and services, the government should consider stable sources of revenue. Most sources of revenue in Waukesha, as discussed in the previous assignment, are tax, which vary much based on the changing demographics of the county. The unstable aspect of taxes exposes the government to vulnerability in case some source of tax fails to generate revenue. So, the government should consider privatizing some of its sectors, including recreational services, university education, and infrastructure, including roads. The privatization of these facilities will ensure consistency in funds. Thus, the government becomes capable of meeting its obligations
References
Bertelli, A. M. (2019). Public goods, private partnerships, and political institutions. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 29(1), 67-83.
Pruetz, R. (2017). Lasting Value: Open space planning and preservation successes. Routledge.
Village of Summit, Waukesha County, Wisconsin-Official website of the Village Summit (n.d.). Retrieved from https:// https://summitvillage.org/