Privatization in the City: Successes, Failures, Lessons

In Privatization in the City, E .S. Savas comprehensively examines the evolution and implementation of former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani’s aggressive privatization program in the face of a city council generally hostile to privatization. Savas identifies, examines, evaluates, and documents all forms of privatization employed, including contracting, competitive sourcing, divestment, leases, vouchers, franchises, default, withdrawal, and voluntarism. He contrasts these efforts in New York with privatization in several other cities across the country, ranging from Indianapolis to Phoenix. After analyzing the costs and benefits―both quantitative and qualitative―of New York′s privatization program, Savas concludes that significant savings were achieved during Giuliani’s eight years in office.

E.S. Savas is professor of public affairs at Baruch College. He received BA and BS degress from the University of Chicago, a PhD from Columbia University, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Piraeus (Greece). An internationally known pioneer in and authority on privatization, he is the author of numerous books and articles; his books have been published in 21 foreign editions. Savas served as first deputy city administrator of New York and was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also held elected office as a member of the borough council of Tenafly, New Jersey. He was professor of public management at Columbia University′s Graduate School of Business and taught in the Department of Management, School of Business, Baruch College, where he also served for eight years as chairman.