Over time, the mix between public and private modes of provision has changed substantially. During the 19th century, there was much greater private responsibility for education, police protection, libraries, and other functions than there is now. However, there appears to be a trend back to the private sector for provision of what we have come to consider publicly provided goods and services. For example, in a small number of communities, individual homeowners now contract with private companies to provide protection against fires. In some cities, as a result of budget cuts that reduce sanitation collections, businesspeople band together and hire their own refuse collectors to keep their streets clean.