Better Government

Robert Melia, author of Pioneer's White Paper entitled Public Profits From Private Contracts and former vice president of Policy Studies, Inc, used child support enforcement as a case study to compare private versus public delivery of human services. Melia argued that competitive contracting is often a more effective way of delivering services not because public employees are inefficient or private companies pay less, but because bureaucratic checks and balances are inherent in government.

On June 24, 1997, Eloise Anderson, director of the California Department of Social Services, delivered the keynote address at Pioneer Institute's Annual Meeting. Anderson, who oversees 4,200 employees and an annual budget in excess of $16 billion, posed a series of policy questions states are facing as they address welfare reform.

On May 30, 1997 the Northeastern University College of Business Administration hosted a discussion about the proposed Boston Convention Center that was co-sponsored by Pioneer Institute.

As the political leadership of Boston and the Commonwealth consider investing $700 million in a new publicly owned convention center in South Boston, plans are already in place to enlarge facilities in the nation's capital and in San Francisco. Discussions have also begun in New York City, Atlanta, and San Jose to enlarge or replace facilities in those cities. In each case, the goal is to bring in more out-of-state visitors and the dollars that come with them. The success of each project is invariably assured by feasibility studies and civic pride.

In 1965 Boston's War Memorial Auditorium (later Hynes Convention Center) opened to great fanfare and anticipation. But, by the mid-1970s, Boston officials were already proclaiming Hynes too small for growing conventions and promising that an expanded convention center would draw far more meetings and visitors to the city.

On December 10, 1996, Pioneer Institute introduced its latest book, Toward a Safer Workplace: Reform and Deregulation of Workers Compensation, by James R. Chelius and Edward Moscovitch.

On January 23, 1995, Pioneer Institute Academic Advisory Board member, Professor Brigitte Berger, testified in Washington, D.C., before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight regarding welfare reform.