I was asked yesterday what I thought about the construction of a biodiesel facility, one of Commissioner Judah’s current passions. I have decided to post my thoughts here as it gives me an opportunity to illustrate a contrast.

Most, including me, would agree that the use of alternative fuels is essential to the future of our environment and so producing and consuming bio diesel would be a good thing. However, because producing bio diesel is a good thing, should county government do it by using taxpayers’ money and investing it is this new enterprise?

I don’t believe so.

My approach, if policy dictated that direction, would be to create a stimulus for the private sector to venture their capital voluntarily not the taxpayers’ money involuntarily as Commissioner Judah would do. In fact, the private sector is already venturing into this enterprise, both locally and around the state.

Government could offer to purchase this fuel from a local producer for example. That would create a market which entrepreneurs would surely try to serve by private investment. If government does it, we slam the door in the face of private enterprise and innovation and build an even bigger bureaucracy for the taxpayers to support.

This contrast serves as one illustration of a new way of thinking about how I believe government should operate and what I believe are key distinctions between the business of public service and the business of business…a key distinction between someone who has spent 20 years in government, and someone who has not.

-Anita

April 2, 2008