By Kevin Zwick
Staff Reporter
Capitolwire
HARRISBURG (Sept. 29) – Some pretty big political names with pretty deep pockets were appointed to Gov. Tom Corbett’s privatization commission on Thursday.
Other than the who’s-who of GOP power players on the list, including Republican State Committeeman Bob Asher and Allegheny County GOP Chairman Jim Roddey, the list contains the names of several GOP donors.
Among the names are John A. Moran, of Lewisburg, owner of Moran Industries, Inc., who donated over $200,000 to Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign, according to state campaign finance reports.
Another Corbett campaign donor on the list is Sue Schick, of Merion Station, CEO of United Healthcare Corp., who finance records show donated $13,000 to the governor’s gubernatorial campaign.
The governor’s office announced the formation of the 24-member Advisory Council on Privatization and Innovation on Thursday.
The commission will “explore if any functions now performed by state government might be better and more cost-effectively performed by the private sector,” according to the press release from the governor’s office. The panel will look at state government to evaluate potential privatization, public-private partnerships or managed-competition opportunities.
And unlike his Marcellus Shale and Transportation Funding commissions that had deadlines to meet, there’s no end in sight with this one.
“Many people may not recognize it, but privatization has been successful in government for many years. From snow removal services to social services, private job-creators have been doing work that government bodies simply could not do without an increased cost to taxpayers and a drop in efficiencies,” Gov. Tom Corbett said in a press release. “Too often, debates over privatization fail to recognize this simple fact – it’s already working to the benefit of taxpayers.”
John Barbour, CEO of Buchanan, Ingersol & Rooney, who co-chaired the governor’s transition team, will be the point man for the new privatization commission.
Some other familiar names are listed on the appointment list include: Matt Brouilette, president and CEO of The Commonwealth Foundation; Quantum Communications CEO Charlie Gerow; and Dennis Yablonsky, former Secretary of Department of Community and Economic Development under Gov. Ed Rendell.
Some criticized that the lineup for the new commission is stacked to favor the private sector.
Stephen Herzenberg, an economist with the liberal-leaning Keystone Research Center, said that the governor’s panel should include experienced public sector managers and researchers who have studied government service delivery.
Mark Nicastre, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, in a press release said Corbett’s newest commission is “another vehicle to reward his donors and corporate special interests.”
“Tom Corbett’s privatization task force is stacked with donors and special interests,” Nicastre said. “The most likely result is a path to more profits for Tom Corbett’s donors, but worse services for Pennsylvanians.”
Here’s the full list of members:
• Robert B. Asher, of Gwynedd Valley, southeastern PA GOP powerbroker and National Republican Committeeman, a member of Corbett’s inauguration committee;
• John A. Barbour (chair), of Mars, CEO of Buchanan, Ingersol and Rooney, and a member of Corbett’s transition team
• Matthew J. Brouillette, of Hershey, CEO and president of Commonwealth Foundation, a conservative Harrisburg-based think tank
• Peter N. Calcara, of Mechanicsburg, vice president at the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
• Jerome Cochran, of Pittsburgh, Vice Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh;
• Laura E. Ellsworth, of Sewickley, a Pittsburgh attorney, and member of Corbett’s inauguration committee;
• Gerald E. Feldman, of Bradford Woods, Resource Investments, Inc;
• Varsovia Fernandez, of Ardmore, head of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Charlie Gerow, of Mechanicsburg, CEO of Quantum Communications and spokesmen for All Votes Matter;
• William P. Hankowsky, of Philadelphia, of Liberty Property Trust;
• Mark Hanna, Venetia, a political strategist with Hanna & Associates;
• Melissa A. Hart, of Bradford Woods, former United States Congresswoman
• Raymond W. Hoover, of Camp Hill, Hoover Rehabilitation Services
• Richard G. Jewell, of Grove City, president of Grove City College
• James E. McErlane, of Malvern, Lamb-McErlane Law firm;
• J. Paul McMillen, of Camp Hill, president of the Pennsylvania Automotive Association Foundation;
• John D. Moran Jr., of Lewisburg, of Moran Industries;
• Jonathan H. Newman, of Bryn Mawr, a former Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board CEO who favors privatizing the state’s liquor stores;
• James C. Roddey, of Oakmont, GOP Chairman from Allegheny County;
• Sue Schick, of Merion Station, CEO of United Healthcare;
• Andrew J. Sordoni III, of Forty Fort, a construction mogul, owner of Sordoni Construction;
• Robert S. Walker, of Lititz, former United States Congressman;
• Joseph P. Watkins, of Philadelphia, a proponent of school choice and former Republican strategist contributor to MSNBC; and
• Dennis Yablonsky, of Presto, a former Secretary of the Department of Economic and Community Development under former Gov. Ed Rendell.
Brouilette said he is looking forward to working with the governor to “identity and implement win-win solutions.”
“Streamlining state government to its core functions is good for taxpayers and good for government. If government is operating outside its core competencies, running liquor stores, for example, taxpayers lose twice: first in inefficiency and again in lost economic opportunities,” he said
Herzenberg said: “The fear has been that the Governor’s laudable pursuit of cost effective government service would become a one-size fits all rush to privatize.
“The bias of the Governor’s Advisory Council reinforces this fear: most members are either political supporters or people who think privatization is always the answer,” he said.
“In the real world, one size doesn’t fit all: privatization is sometimes a good idea and sometimes a bad one. But it’s hard to be optimistic that this panel will be discerning about when to outsource and when to bring some privatized work back in house,” he said.
The governor’s office says the commission posts are unpaid and voluntary.
