A Very Tangled Web : Public and Private Redux

This article reports on a recent Indiana Court of Appeals ruling involving the elected mayor's ineligibility for office because of his previous employment with a local nonprofit. The case raises significant issues of federalism and provides evidence that the line separating public, private, and nonprofit is increasingly indecipherable. As the facts point out, sector blurring vis a vis contracting can have unintended consequences. The article explores the merits and drawbacks of public-private contracting, as well as the challenges in distinguishing among organization types and in managing contracting relationships. The conclusion suggests that management decisions on when and how to contract must more fully take into account a full range of financial, ethical, and constitutional implications