Public engagement can help bring us back from the brink

By some measures, political polarization in the US is worse than it has ever been. It has become “pernicious,” spreading beyond ideological divides and spilling into our identities (religious, racial, urban/rural, etc). It’s the kind of polarization that can tear at the fabric of society.

There is, however, evidence suggesting that when it comes to local issues and local government decisions, we are not as divided as we are about national issues. It seems that dialogue and compromise are alive in local government decision-making.

While state and federal decisions affect people’s lives, it is local government decisions that have the most immediate and direct impact on people’s lives. In their article Direct Public Engagement in Local Government, Tina Nabatchi and Lisa Amsler call local government the most “permeable” region of government because it is more accessible to the public than the state or federal government.

In fact, almost all of the US population is governed by a local government of some sort. Local governments make decisions about all kinds of things that affect our daily lives, including safety, land use, sanitation, recreation and open space, and many others.

Local governments have a unique opportunity to strengthen our democracy every single day by involving citizenry in a meaningful way.

Local government leaders across America make thousands of decisions every day that have a direct impact on the public. Likewise, local governments have a unique opportunity to strengthen our democracy every single day by involving citizenry in a meaningful way.

This is a timely opportunity for local leaders. By focusing on quality public engagement, local officials can help resolve conflict, heal divisions, build trust among citizens, and build accountability. There are more practical reasons, too: better relationships with stakeholders, less outrage and opposition, less risk of delay or reversal, and ultimately, better projects.

The process of making decisions together not only makes our local government better, it fosters connection and brings meaning to our lives.

What now?

This blog is about how we can improve and leverage public engagement at the local level. To learn more, check out these other posts:

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Originally published at https://hoplands.com on January 11, 2021.