Should governments operate more like nonprofits?

Last year, my then 11-year old son and I were watching a TV news story about a fundraiser for a girl with cancer at a Hawaii elementary school. He burst out, “Why don’t they do a fundraiser for rail?”

 

He suggested that government could find kids who would ride rail and tell their stories, like a girl who can’t get to school without rail.

 

“Sometimes kids have better ideas than government,” he said seriously.

 

I didn’t have the HART to tell him that when governments engage in fundraising, it’s called “taxation.”

 

And then I thought: why can’t governments hold fundraisers?

 

Governments are often admonished to act more like businesses, by providing better products (government services), good customer service, and lower prices (to avoid raising taxes).

 

Maybe governments should try to operate more like nonprofit organizations.

 

Nonprofits are usually recognized for their passion for a cause, their commitment to service, and their shoe-string budgets. They don’t have any taxing power, so they rely on donations, volunteers, and in-kind gifts.

 

Instead of raising taxes for everyone, maybe state and city governments could hold annual fundraising campaigns. The people and organizations could donate money to support specific departments or initiatives.

 

Government-nonprofit operations are proven to work; consider the annual school carnivals and Friends of the Library of Hawaii. Schools and libraries are government organizations that really do operate like nonprofits, and are supported by nonprofit fundraising.

 

And possibly the biggest effect on taxpayers: receiving thank you letters instead of tax bills.

 

At the time, I told my son to write a letter to the newspaper outlining his idea and offered to send it in for him. He wasn’t interested, and went back to his homework. But I wanted to share his idea with you.

 

What would motivate you to donate money to government?

Explore posts in the same categories: Government, Taxes

Tags: Fundraising, Governments and Nonprofits, Taxation

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