Good points: local governments are often out of their depth when it comes to significant infrastructure projects. > local governments simply can't afford to re

Good points: local governments are often out of their depth when it comes to significant infrastructure projects. > local governments simply can't afford to retain large staffs of highly specialized engineers. They may hire extremely costly consultants But... My father spent much of his career working as a government consultant on early-stage infrastructure projects, usually requirements analysis and grant writing. This is not lucrative work. My father started his career as a state government employee, a pool of analysts who are in turn tasked with helping local government agencies. In later years, he was a private sector consultant, covering the entire western region of the United States. His office was a corner of the living room. Southwest Airlines does not have a business class. By no means do I wish to complain, or deny the existence of government pork. I'm proud of his work and the improvements I got to see in some of the impoverished communities he managed to help, and I learned one way that local infrastructure projects can be undertaken efficiently. I wish my Dad were still around so I could ask him about this.