Equallythefundingmaybepublicorprivate（oftenona‘charitablebasis’）oracombinationofbothwherethereisfreeaccess.Todaymanypublicfacilitiesexistnotbecausetheyareprovidedbythepublicauthorities,norindeedbecauseofanynotionofpublicspiritednessonthepartoftheprivatesector,butratheraspartofabargainingprocesswherebythepublicauthoritiesextracteconomicrentfromland-useandotherdevelopersintheformofthelatterprovidingcitizenswitharangeoffacilitiesthattheywouldnotprovideifstandardcommerciallycriteriawereapplied.

　　相等的,资金也许来自公家或私人（通常以慈善方式）或对于免费进入的,两者兼有.现今许多公共设施的存在不是政府当局所提供的,也不是来自于私营部门的任何公益意识,而是政府部门与使用土地及其他的开发商交易过程的一部分,前者要求后者为公民提供一系列的设施取代前者收取的租金,而这些设施按标准商业考虑是不会提供的.

　　Forexample,aland-usedevelopermayfeelitcommerciallydesirabletoleavesomeopenspacesandprovideparkstoincreasethevalueofthepropertiesthatarebeingdeveloped；theplanningauthorities,takingawidersocialperspective,mayinsist,however,onmoreopenspaceandlandscapedparksattheexpensesoffewerhousesoroffices.Theprivatesectoristhusencouragedtofundpublicfacilitiesbecauseoftheexternalbenefitsconferred,butattheexpenseofrentmaximization.Sincetherearefewreasonsonpublicgoodsgroundstothinkthatmanypublicfacilitieswouldnotbeprovidedbytheprivatesector,amorefruitfulapproachistoconsiderthedemandside.

　　例如：一个土地开发商可能觉得按商业利益有必要留出一块空地作为公园以提升正在开发的房地产价值；然而,规划当局从更广阔的社会角度,可能坚持减少房屋或办公室数量以便获得更多的空地及美化的公园.鉴于外在利益的授予,私营机构被鼓励为公共设施提供经费,但却要牺牲租金的最大化.既然基于公共物品的角度,没有太多理由相信私营机构会提供许多公共设施,对需求方面多加考虑是较有成果的方法.

　　Publicfacilitiesofferslargeandpervasiveexternalsocialbenefitsthatmarketsdonotadequatecapture.Perhapsamoreusefuleconomicapproachtopublicfacilitiesis,therefore,throughthenotionof‘need’.Theauthorities,foravarietyofcriteriathatareoftenonlypartiallyarticulated,feelthatthereisasocialneedformanytypesofpublicfacilities.This‘need’tokeeptheviolenttendenciesofcitizensappeasedbyhaving‘games’inpublicstadiums,afunctionperhapsofmodernsoccergroundsthatgetpublicplanningpermissionandoftenfunding.Statereligion,andthedesiretomeetthespiritual‘needs’ofindividuals,ledtotheplanningofreligiousbuildingsandceremonieswithinandaroundthem..

　　公共设施所提供的巨大及遍布的外在社会效益,市场尚未充分的捕捉.因此,通过利用‘需求’的观念也许是对公共设施更有用的经济方案.根据当局只部分表达的各式各样的判断尺度,他们觉得多种公共设施有社会的需求.这种‘需求’,像在体育场举办‘比赛’以安抚平息公民的暴力倾向,也许一个现代化足球场的作用能获得公共规划的许可,通常还能得到资金.国家宗教想要满足个人的精神‘需求’而导致宗教建筑的规划,以及在里面与周边举行的仪式.

　　Manyoftoday’s‘needs’areperhapssomewhatdifferent..Insomecasesthereisseentobeaneconomic‘need’toprotectnaturalresourcesorprovidepublicspacesorfacilitiessuchasmuseumsandartgalleriestosustaintourisminanareaandmeettheemploymentdemandsforacityorregion.Therearealsodistributionalaspectsto‘need’.Forsocialreasonsthereisseentobea‘need’forbasicLawandorder,foradequateeducation,forleisurefacilities,andforhealthservicesirrespectiveofincome.

　　现今的许多‘需求’也许有所不同.在某些情况,有人会认为保护天然资源是因为经济的‘需求’,或提供公共场所或设施如博物馆及美术馆来维护一个地区的旅游业,以及满足一个城市或区域的就业要求.‘需求’也有涉及分配方面的；从社会视角,被看作有‘需求’的是治安、足够的教育、休闲设施及医疗服务,无论人民的收入是多少.

　　Publicfacilitiesareineffectoftenbeingprovidedasatransferofresourcesfromthewealthierpartsofsocietytomeetthenee