In theory, privatizing public services to reduce costs makes sense. But such a dramatic shift in operations can lead to drops in service levels that the public may not tolerate. Before any municipality goes through with a privatization plan, it is imperative to evaluate its cost-effectiveness. After all, a private company focused on profit can erode accountability and potentially drive governments deeper into debt.

Resource-strapped emergency services have enough on their plates when it comes to ensuring they are properly staffed during the day. But what about at night?

Throughout the U.S., police and emergency services in rural areas have noted that budgetary concerns make it difficult to keep a regularly scheduled night shift. For example, emergency services in Cape Elizabeth, Maine must rely on a few on-call volunteers between 10 P.M. and 6 A.M., even though a full-time night shift would lower response times considerably.

In September, a 19-year-old inmate who was serving three life sentences for murder escaped from the Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima, Ohio. It took state police several ours before they finally tracked him down.

Conventional wisdom tells us that the government is persistently behind the private sector in information technology — especially on the local level. But this doesn't have to be true for every city and town. With the right software, public departments can match the tech-savviness of their private counterparts, and build efficient organizations as a result.