The cost of public funds is often misunderstood because people think it's cheaper for the government to borrow money than for private companies. However, this is a mistake because the true cost of borrowing includes risks that are hidden from view. In reality, the overall cost of capital is the same for both public and private sectors. Several real-life examples, like infrastructure projects and government support programs for businesses, show how this misunderstanding can lead to problems. To address this issue, an auction process could be used to make the true cost of business support programs clear. It's important to manage public funds carefully to avoid mistakes and misinformation that could cause problems in the future.