WRAL-TV did a promotional puff piece on Smart Start masquerading as a news piece the other day. While it is easy to point out parts of Smart Start that have done good things the fundamental questions remain. Should the state be doing this? Is this the best way to spend scarce resources? As Governor Doug Wilder (D-VA) said back in the 90’s during a budget crunch in his state “you have necessities and niceties”, “you have to fund the necessities first”. (paraphrasing so go easy)
My previous posts on Smart Start have generated much discussion, especially from Smart Start supporters. I am glad to see them reading our material. While as a conservative I generally believe the private sector can do things more effectively and efficiently than government, I have to qualify that with two provisos; the efficiencies usually only result if the private sector has to compete for the contract – SMART START has no competition and is funded and was established by legislative action, secondly non-profits are not motivated by profit and return to shareholder that forces private businesses to hold costs in line. On that point the profit motive for Smart Start turns into salaries and benefits and more employees for the Smart Start non-profits.
There are many Smart Start employees who are dedicated and doing a good job. That alone does not justify keeping the program. The day care subsidies can continue to exist without Smart Start, and in fact could probably be increased. What would be eliminated would be a duplicate bureaucracy and a lot of spending. You might even see the overall cost of day care decrease in North Carolina…
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