The hidden risks of P3s.

AuthorKellar, Elizabeth K.
PositionCommentary - Partnerships

State and local governments are eager to find ways to address the infrastructure deficit. While both the Obama administration and the Trump White House have promoted a greater use of public-private partnerships (P3s), government officials are well advised to bring rigorous analysis and staff expertise to the negotiating table to avoid costly mistakes and minimize risks for taxpayers.

Recent news coverage highlights the importance of careful analysis. A recent article in the New York Times reported on a long-term deal that Bayonne, New Jersey, cut with a private equity firm in 2012 to manage the city's water system. While the city got an immediate infusion of investment in its ailing water system, residents saw their bills rise by 28 percent. City officials had expected rates to be frozen for four years after an initial bump. The rate freeze did not occur, in part because residents had conserved more water than expected, which reduced the amount of revenue the private-sector partner had negotiated.

And in Virginia, the Washington Post reported that one of the state's top transportation priorities has run into a financial hurdle. The state seeks to expand a tunnel in the notoriously congested Hampton Roads region. The project could be costlier than expected due to a non-compete clause negotiated in a 2011 agreement with Elizabeth River Crossings (ERC), a partnership between a Swedish construction company and an Australian finance group. The 58-year agreement stipulates that if ERC's toll revenue falls after the tunnel project is built, the state might be required to make up the difference.

Of course, some P3 projects work out well for both the public and private sector. Can Chen and John Bartle describe the successful Port Miami Tunnel project in a new policy white paper written for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the Government Finance Officers Association ("Infrastructure Financing --A Guide for Local Government Managers," available from ICMA's Knowledge Network at http://icma.org/ en/icma/knowledge_network). The tunnel opened in August 2014 and features a 35-year concession agreement, service-quality standards and milestone payments to the concessionaire during the construction period by the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT), in partnership with Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami. The tunnel will be returned to the Florida DOT in 2044.

Clearly, P3 projects can be a good way to leverage advanced...

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