How Many City Workers to Buy a Banana?

[flacaltenn]

It took 38 city workers to buy a banana for the Pittsburgh Zoo before privatization.

There has been a free market experiment going on with regard to America's Zoos, and the results are amazing and unchallengeable. A public facility like a Zoo delivers better quality enjoyment for both the visitors, the animals and the taxpayers when it is taken out of the hands of the local Government.

It’s a Jungle Out There! What We Can Learn from the Privatization of Zoos | The Freeman | Ideas On Liberty

The Pittsburgh Zoo
Shortly after the National Aviary was privatized, the Pittsburgh Zoo was turned over to private ownership as well. Several years earlier, the city had hired a young veterinarian from South Carolina, Barbara Baker, to serve as zoo director, a drastic change from previous administrators. Her diagnosis was simple (albeit not universally well received): the city must relinquish control if the zoo was to prosper. Among other things, she observed to the astonishment of many that 38 people were involved in purchasing a banana (and, as a result, an employee sometimes drove to the local grocery store to purchase bananas while they were waiting for the “official” lot to be approved and delivered).

The city council meetings were heated, with members of the zookeeper’s union expressing their opposition to Dr. Baker’s plan. But the citizens group Save the Pittsburgh Zoo ultimately prevailed, and the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh ultimately won control, with Dr. Baker staying on as president and chief executive officer.

What has happened since? Massive expansion voluntarily paid for by the local community, and increased attendance, membership, spending, and private corporate contributions. And it now takes just one person to buy a banana.

Without having to directly compete with classrooms and jail cells for funding, the Pittsburgh Zoo has been able to revamp its infrastructure, expand its educational offerings, build a new children’s zoo, and attract any number of local corporate partners.

I've now personally seen the miraculous transition of a local zoo from City to Private Management twice. The most dramatic was San Francisco Zoo. An old place built in 1929, it resembled a penitentiary. After privatization circa 1998, you could see immediate improvements --- especially in education value and the well-being of the animals. STILL not one of better zoos in the country -- but MUCH improved.

The economics of zoo privatizations is really no longer debateable. This form of management is much more efficient, consistent, and motivated to ask the public for support.


Association of Zoos and Aquariums

<Speaking about Houston Zoo>
The first decade of the 21st Century brought about even more change. Don Olson retired and Rick Barongi was hired from the Walt Disney Company as the Zoo&#8217;s fifth Zoo director. Rick&#8217;s one condition of employment was permission to create a task force to privatize the Zoo. Two years later in July 2002, the Houston Zoo became a private non-profit organization with a 50-year lease and operating agreement from the City. This public/private partnership has proven to be mutually beneficial for everyone and allowed the Zoo to undertake the most ambitious scope of improvements in its entire history.
In 2000 the Zoo opened up the $6.5 million John P. McGovern Children&#8217;s Zoo and just kept going improving with the addition of Komodo Dragons (2001), okapi (2002), spectacled bear (2003), giant eland (2004), sea lion renovation, large cat viewing, Wildlife carousel (2004), Natural Encounters (2005, AZA Exhibit award), African wild dog (2007), elephant barn (2008), jaguar (2010), shoebill and comprehensive landscaping, lighting and interpretive signage improvements. In the first eight years after privatization the Zoo added $40 million in capital improvements.

Reason Foundation - Privately Operated Zoos Now Considered the Standard

The vast majority of accredited zoos and aquariums across the United States now rely on private operators&#8212;this includes major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Fresno, Houston and Seattle. Eight publicly owned zoos and aquariums have been transferred to private operators in the last ten years alone. Lawmakers in several other communities are exploring agreements similar to the one in North Carolina.

<RE: Los Angeles Zoo Public Private Partnership PPP>

City analysts calculate a PPP for the zoo could save as much as $20 million over the next five years. A July report by Miguel Santana found that &#8220;Without an alternative (operating) model, the city&#8217;s fund subsidy is very likely to be reduced further or eliminated, resulting in the continual increase of admission fees and the possible eventual closure of the (zoo)."

Tulsa, Oklahoma: One of Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett&#8217;s first tangible wins was successfully transitioning the Tulsa Zoo to a PPP. The Tulsa Zoo is the fifth such PPP in Tulsa; other examples include: the BOK Center, Gilcrease Museum, the Performing Arts Center and Tulsa golf courses.[5] According to an analysis conducted by Schultz & Williams, the 78-acre complex houses 2,500 animals and attracts over 525,000 visitors annually and has operated within Mohawk Park since 1927. Lawmakers partnered with the newly created nonprofit Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc. (TZMI).

TZMI assumed a significant fundraising challenge since the facility renewal and reinvestment plan included $60&#8211;100 million for deferred maintenance and infrastructure investment. The zoo also faced a pressing need to meet compliance standards for accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) after the death of two giraffes under public operation.

One year later the Tulsa World reports, &#8220;(the) Tulsa Zoo is prospering due to privatization.&#8221;[6] The zoo was able to retain its AZA accreditation meeting standards for governance, operations and quality animal care. Privatization allowed the zoo to increase its reliance on private funding for its $8.3 million operating budget&#8212;specifically raising over $1 million for capital investment and deferred maintenance projects&#8212;with only $3.6 million coming from the city in the form of a management fee. TZMI is planning on hiring 26 employees, replacing 12 vacant positions the city eliminated in January 2010 during budget cuts.

The same model would apply to Museums, WaterParks and a host of things that Govt isn't very good at. And to large extent, we have sufficient experience now in those ventures as well. So next time your local govt threatens to cut "basic services" -- Ask them why they are still buying bananas for the apes..