What is the Public Good?
As February wrapped up, I reflected on my role as council liaison to the various boards, commissions, and agencies in the county. When some in Indianapolis suggest there’s waste in our budget and demand we justify the need for revenue, I see dedicated public servants making the most of available resources to provide valuable public goods and services. In short, government costs money, just like any business, and it faces the same inflationary pressures we all experience.
What is a public good? Some may argue that once we’ve accounted for core services like roads, safety, and social services, we can then add “quality of life” offerings. This idea mirrors the hierarchy of needs concept from sociology - once we have the fundamentals covered, we move onward to “amenities.” These could include sports, parks, and art that give a community its sense of place. However, we’ve also recognized that goods once considered non-essential—like substance abuse treatment, mental health, environmental sustainability, and technology—are now core services that a compassionate, modern county must address as a core service for our greater good.
Public goods aren’t just tangibles. They also include funding for workforce salaries and investments to maintain infrastructure safely and sustainably. Thoughtful planning, zoning, surveying, and assessment are also essential to securing revenue to fund these services.
The most important perspective for any elected official is to recognize the privilege of our position and ensure we stay focused on meeting core needs and providing public goods—especially for those who have difficulty accessing them, or feel unwelcome to them.
Grover Cleveland, when he was Mayor of Buffalo, defined “public goods” by two criteria:
Can it be used by, or benefit, everyone?
Is it not to the exclusive benefit of any one person or interest?
The second criterion can be tricky. We need programs that elevate people so they can benefit equitably from public goods. Sometimes, even simple public-private partnerships are criticized as being “exclusive.” Not every public good will be used by everyone all the time—just like a senior citizen wouldn’t typically attend a publicly funded pre-K class.
But even in these “whataboutisms,” we know seemingly exclusive economic drivers like a convention center bring jobs, business, and tax revenue to a community. We can also see how investments in new infrastructure, like a justice center, and development around it, generate revenue for essential services, including social programs like prevention and diversion. We know that when we help others up and make space at the table, we create a better community.
And if you’re like me, a product of public education, you understand that someone paid it forward for us. Now, it’s our turn to pay it forward for today’s students. After all, an educated citizenry is the foundation of our society. These are the values worth funding.
I believe our county government does a solid job with public goods, thanks to our dedicated workforce and fellow officials. That’s why accusations from Indianapolis feel especially frustrating.
As I continue to serve, I ask the fundamental questions of "why?" and "is this truly a public good?" Asking those questions is not about judging past choices—it is about good leadership.
