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Introduction
Most citizens rely on local governments to provide primary and secondary education, police protection, recreation facilities, transport, infrastructure, public sanitation and evolving opportunities. Therefore, a good local government should ensure optimum supply of public goods. Public goods are goods with benefits that are nonrival and nonexclusive in consumption. Such goods are financed by taxes levied on local residents. This paper will analyze the allocation of public goods and services in the County of Waukesha, Wisconsin from 2016 to 2018.
Goals and Priorities of Waukesha County
The leadership and residents of Waukesha County envisage a County that is well managed, safe, secure, and with good infrastructure. In orders to realize these goals, a huge sum of the County’s revenue is allocated to public safety, public works department and general government. Table 1, below, displays Waukesha County expenditures from 2016 to 2018. Public safety expenditure is the highest in the County followed by public works and general government expenditures. Each of the goals is evaluated as follows:
Safe and Secure County
Waukesha County first priority is safe and secure County. In 2018, public safety expenditure was the highest and it accounted for 40.3 percent of total expenditures. Public safety expenditure is also increasing from $1.38 million in 2016 to $1.42 million in 2018. It includes police, building inspections, fire, and emergency expenses.
To ensure vibrant neighborhoods and business areas, the police are involved in community service programs. The police and community are jointly addressing crime and safety issues with the aim of providing solutions. Research findings indicate that a partnership between the police and the public reduces crime rates significantly. The goal of the fire department is to reduce the time taken from dispatch to arrival when responding to fire emergencies. The county also seeks to increase the number of people participating in fire prevention programs by 10 percent. Overall, community service and fire prevention programs will prevent and mitigate unsafe conditions in Waukesha County.
Good Infrastructure
Waukesha County is investing heavily on infrastructure. Infrastructure is a broad term and it refers to the county’s transportation, water, sewage and communication systems. Public safety department is responsible for maintaining the County’s infrastructure in good working condition. In 2018, public works expenditure represented 23.4 percent ($0.82 million) of the total expenditures. Public works allocation has also increased significantly over the years from $0.43 million in 2016 to $0.82 million in 2018.Good infrastructure will promote economic growth in...…it caters for unexpected expenditures and provides stability to Waukesha County budget. It also mitigates the severity of economic fluctuations.
Recommendation
To ensure consistent provision of goods and services, Waukesha County should focus on revenue sources that are consistent. User charges is the most consistent source of revenue. In 2018, it represented approximately 13 percent ($0.46 million) of the total revenue. To increase user charges revenue, the county should consider privatizing most of the government services. Those services include recreational facilities, roads, bridges, and university education. Consistent funds will ensure the government meet its obligations to the people.
Waukesha County should also focus on development projects. Currently, the budget focuses on public safety which is a recurrent expenditure. The county stands to benefits in the future if they will focus on development projects such as environmental conservation. Developmental projects can also act as sources on income for the County.
Conclusion
Like all local governments, Waukesha County strives to meet the basic needs of its citizens. From 2016 to 2018, the county has focused on public safety, good infrastructure and effective management of the county. In the future, the county should consider privatizing some of its services to raise revenue.
References
Hyman, D. N. (2014). Public Finance: A Contemporary Application of Theory to Policy. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Village of Summit, Waukesha County, Wisconsin – Official Website of the Village of Summit. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://summitvillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-Adopted-Operating-Budget.pdf
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