THE NEXT STEP in “privatizing” ? (Flickr/Timothy Krause).

So the majority on the Huntington Beach City Council last week turned back an effort to place proposed privatization of its city library system on the ballot for voters to decide.

The council minority wanted the public vote as a way of heading off the majority’s plans to “outsource” the system as a way of saving money for a city that’s facing some significant financial headwinds.

But, you know, if it makes sense to get rid of public employees for private folks in the library, why stop there? I mean, the library system is only about 2 percent of the city budget, while public safety (police and fire) is about two-thirds. 

The obvious next step would be to replace the HBPD with Orange County Sheriff’s Department as Stanton did about 40 years ago, and close down the HBFD in place of the Orange County Fire Authority, which Garden Grove did a few years ago.

But that won’t be enough, and may actually turn out to be more expensive. So we budget-hawks need to take another step.

But where to find those warm bodies to be the outsource? I was in Target the other day and they had two “asset protection” people in green vests. They looked like they had some law enforcement experience. 

And I seem to remember a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) in town in which members learned – among other things – how to operate a hand-held fire extinguisher. They seem dedicated and the beauty thing is that they’re all unpaid folks, like the Minutemen at Lexington or the volunteer fire departments of a century ago.

If that’s too drastic, maybe they could hire some unemployed library people to make arrests and put out fires. See? It’s not that complicated. I guess this proves I’m just as wise financially as the Big Four on the city council.