Municipal control or alternative delivery method? This is the question that has intrigued all levels of local government and sparked intense debate among taxpayers in all municipalities. The services provided by municipalities are often essential to the existence of a local territory. Questions of accountability, cost savings, quality of service and democracy often arise when choosing the best options for providing services to a municipal area. In recent years, the concepts of privatization, alternative service delivery and public-private partnerships are often promoted as ways to reduce overburdened annual city budgets and promote better quality of service to citizens. Municipalities have always provided basic services such as fire protection, water purification/treatment, and recreational facilities. However, would private companies or another municipality be able to provide the same services, more efficiently or at a lower cost? The city or town often provides a grassroots policy approach to most local issues. Municipalities are better positioned and have greater latitude to provide services to their constituents to ensure a quality of service that does not erode accountability and transparency, or push the municipality deeper into debt. The new public management stipulates that “cities are growing more and more”. and rather as businesses designating citizens as customers in the sense that they provide products or goods (services) to the customer (taxpayers). This has led to increased demand for better quality at the lowest cost to the taxpayer. When it comes to cost savings and alternative delivery methods, municipalities face a difficult decision when choosing to contract out essential services. An example...... middle of document...... "The problem with public-private partnerships Economic crisis exposes high costs and risks of PPPs. Last modified April 1, 2009. Accessed November 16, 2013 . http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/problem-public-private-partnerships. Sherwin, Fred. “City to take over operation of Ray Friel complex.” Orléans Local, April 26. 2012. http://www.orleansonline.ca/pages/N2007042601.htm (accessed November 1, 2013). Warner, Mildred. Pragmatism over politics: Questions of privatization “International City/County Management Association,” Cornell. University Community Research. City Directory 2004 Washington DC: pp.8-16. Whiteside, Heather. 2013. “Stabilizing Privatization: Crisis, Opportunities and Public-Private Partnerships in Canada 24, 85. Supplementary Index, EBSCOhost.” (accessed November 19, 2013.