“Other cities do it so why don’t we” is the cry. Well this is how this alleged good idea goes awry. If you’re an out of town company who regulary bids on contracts and you spend the money and time to make competitive bids and you find out that local insider are allowed to look at your bids after it is said and done, and allowed to overbid you and still get the contract you are forced to stop bidding on that cities contracts. As soon as you stop bidding the locals start raising thei “bid prices” and it costs the local ciyizens more for less. And who usually geys the last insider look? Companies who have made campaign contributions. So unless Modesto is ready to go down the $500.00 dollars for a toilet seat road, we better nip this in the bud. Emerson Drake |
