Council Says Public-Private Partnerships Misunderstood

A new report says public-private partnerships are often misunderstood and fall prey to misinformation and misperceptions.

1 minute read

February 3, 2003, 2:00 PM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"For the Good of the People," a white paper from the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships, says that much of the opposition to such partnerships is based on "a belief that the profit motives cannot operate for public good." The white paper says that public interests are assured in part because of private companies' need to assure customer satisfaction. And, the report says, most current partnerships provide for public-sector employee guarantees: "To the credit of government leaders andmanagers in thousands of jurisdictions, they have found ways to utilize the resources of the privatesectorto assist in meeting the surging demands of their constituencies. By establishing public-privatepartnerships, government authorities have achieved goals that would otherwise go unmet because ofbudget limitations." Editor's note: The link below is to a 1.5MB PDF file.

Thanks to Laura Kranz

Monday, February 3, 2003 in National Council For Public-Private Partnerships

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight