This came from the Taxpayers League of Minnesota website. Just substitute Indiana for Minnesota, Governor Daniels for Governor Pawlenty and Lost Marsh Golf Course for Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort. Note the similarities.
GOVERNMMENT SHOULDN'T OWN GOLF COURSES
At the same time that many of Minnesota’s mayors and special interests are looking for more taxpayer money to buy goodies via Obama’s stimulus package, Governor Pawlenty is trying to fix a little thing called a $5.2 billion budget shortfall!
Pawlenty has hinted at privatizing some of the state’s assets in order to balance the budget. A huge benefit of privatizing anything is that businesses, unlike governments, have to make a profit, and so they tend to find unique ways to streamline and make things run more efficiently (i.e. The UPS Store vs. the Post Office right before Christmas).
Among his ideas are the airport and the state lottery, which could bring in $2.5 billion and $500 million respectively for the state.
And there’s also talk of things which should never be in government hands in the first place: Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort and Ironworld. What’s ridiculous about these things becoming privatized is that it’s obvious why they don’t turn a profit. If they could turn a profit, a private business would have built them in the first place. Now let’s try telling that to our mayors who are asking for more government funded projects at the same time that these things may be privatized.
We agree with the Taxpayers League of Minnesota. It is not the business of government to be in business. There are businesses best left to the private sector such as golf courses and banquet halls.