Daniels cut privatization teeth advising Indianapolis mayor
Source: KEN KUSMER, Associated Press (IN), Wed, Feb. 21, 2007
Much of the philosophy driving Indiana's outsourcing of government programs has its roots in similar initiatives by the city of Indianapolis during the 1990s. Advising the city behind the scenes was an Eli Lilly and Co. executive named Mitch Daniels. "He was the philosophical heart behind a lot of this effort to examine the way government purchases services and to compete them effectively," said Mitch Roob, a city official then who now serves as Daniels' human services chief. Republican Stephen Goldsmith, who became mayor in 1992, said property taxes were too high when he took office, so he turned to competitive bidding of city services to bring costs down.