Government helps produce fiscally unstable agencies. Providers have sacrificed the fiscal viability of their agencies to serve more and more clients with inadequate resources. Government turns providers into hostages to state funding. State funding now accounts for 85 to 95 percent of the typical provider's budget. This dependency makes the provider hostage to the state'the relationship ceases to be a partnership.
Government ignores ultimate outcomes.
Ironically, the paper chase has not led to greater accountability or control of service delivery. As the system increased in size and complexity, bureaucratic layers were added, paperwork increased, and the ability to evaluate the program was lost. Joe Loconte is deputy editor of Policy Review at Heritage Foundation. He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana, and is completing graduate work in Christian History and Theology at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. Mr. Loconte provides regular commentary on religion and culture for National Public Radio's All Things Considered.