Provo’s municipal officers borrowed another $39 million in 2010 to build a fancy new recreation center.  If there’s truly sufficient local demand for such services, then entrepreneurs should provide these services at their own risk, rather than politicians at taxpayer expense.  Thankfully, this new recreation center appears to be prospering since its grand opening in 2013, which is good—but it should be fully privatized before its performance worsens under public management.  Whereas efficient effective service is a rare fleeting exception for public agencies, it’s the norm for private businesses.

(For more about Borrowing-and-Building, please see both iProvo Fiber-Optic Network and UTA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).)

References:

• Deseret News: “Provo residents likely to vote on bond to build city rec center” (2010 Apr 07)
• KSL: “Provo council approves $39M bond for rec center” (2011 Apr 06)
• KSL: “Provo residents flock to new recreation center” (2013 May 13)