You're not wrong but I think the end result of really depends on the state or city. Government isn't actually accountable if the voters don't hold the politici

You're not wrong but I think the end result of really depends on the state or city. Government isn't actually accountable if the voters don't hold the politicians accountable for the actions of the bureaucracy. In my area any government service or department always accumulates over time all sorts of backhanded ways to manipulate the poor, ostensibly for their own good by proxy of societal good (which is basically just a charitable way of saying "forcing them to act the way a bunch of jerks with million dollar homes think they should"). It's not quite to the level of "unpaid parking tickets get your house skipped by the trash guys" but every year there's yet another "scandal" where they get caught pushing that kind of envelope and have to promise not to do it again. Private industry here is a little more trustworthy in the "won't abuse you" regard. Of course they'll try to screw you out of every penny you have but that's pretty much where it begins and ends. Whereas with government there are all sorts of aspects they care about.