An EPI conference — Thursday, January 11, 2001

Agenda and audio recordings

Thursday, January 11, 2001, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM.

Madison Hotel, Washington, D.C.

MORNING
Welcoming remarks
Jeff Faux, President, Economic Policy Institute
Introduction
Max Sawicky, Senior Economist, EPI
Listen to the Welcome and Introduction  

Trends in Privatization
An overview of trends in privatization, including “contracting-in” and inter-governmental contracting, in the Federal government and in the
state-local sector.
Presenters: Cameron Duncan, Public Services International; Paul Light, Brookings Institution; Mildred Warner, Cornell University.
Moderator: Ann Markusen, University of Minnesota.
Listen to Trends in Privatization  

EMO’s and Educational Outcomes: Evaluating the Evidence
Discussion of research on instructional outcomes resulting from
contracting and charter schools.
Presenters: Helen Ladd, Duke University; Gary Miron, Western Michigan
University.
Moderator: Richard Rothstein, Economic Policy Institute.
Listen to EMO’s and Educational Outcomes  

AFTERNOON
Lunch – Keynote Address:
Robert Kuttner, American Prospect and author,
Everything for Sale: The Virtues and Limits of Markets.

Alternatives to Privatization
Discussion of “contracting-in,” cooperative labor-management restructuring,
and public/private competition.
Presenters: Eugene Bardach, University of California at Berkeley; Steven Fantauzzo, AFSCME; Linda Kaboolian, Kennedy School of Government;
Richard Loeb, Office of Management and Budget; Elliott Sclar, Columbia
University and author, You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For: The Economics of Privatization.
Moderator: Max Sawicky, Economic Policy Institute.
Listen to Alternatives to Privatization

Break-out sessions
Four break-out sessions will focus on specific industries. The basic question
is what theory and experience suggest for the efficacy (cost and quality) of contracting in the industry in question.

Corrections
Presenters: Steve Chand, Corrections and Criminal Justice Coalition;
Judith Greene, Justice Strategies; Travis Pratt, Rutgers University.

Social Services
Presenters: Jane Ahlstrom, AFSCME; Demetra Nightingale, Urban Institute; Max Sawicky, EPI; Barry Van Lare, The Finance Project.

Information Technology
Presenters: Jason Mahler, Computer and Communications Industry Association; Donald Cohen, Center on Public Initiatives; Jack Donahue, Kennedy School of Government; Peter Orszag, Sebago Associates.

Public Works
Presenters: Peter Benjamin, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; Robert Molofsky, Amalgamated Transit Union; Bruce A. Wallin, Northeastern University; John Williams, HDR Inc.