Local government offices manage a wide variety of citizen services and needs. If you’ve ever taken a trip to your local government offices, you will most likely have seen that they were bustling with activity. It’s a place where citizens expect to see effectiveness and efficiency in action, as local government leaders should always be good stewards of the community’s tax dollars. With so many tasks to complete every day – and every week – some local government employees may have an inclination to do things the way that they’ve always been done rather than look for new and innovative ways to … [Read more...] about How to Become an Adaptable and Effective Local Government

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to visit Chicago, Illinois, you’re sure to have heard someone refer to this major city as the “Windy City.” What you may be interested to know is that Chicago didn’t get its nickname from the gusty winds that blow across the city from Lake Michigan. In fact, Chicago is only the 12th-windiest city in the nation among major cities. According to the Chicago Tribune, the most likely source of the nickname dates back to the 1800s and originates from long-winded politicians. The University of Illinois found that the northern district of Illinois had 1,642 … [Read more...] about How to Report Corruption in Local Government

Local governments were designed with the purpose of creating order in ways that serve the general public democratically. The general public elects the leaders that they have the most faith in to run an effective local government. In electing leaders, the public gives these elected officials the power to do whatever is necessary to perform its functions and to achieve the municipality’s objectives, including giving the officials the power to levy taxes on citizens. In exchange for their power, local citizens expect their government to be fair and to spend their tax dollars wisely and without … [Read more...] about The Importance of Effective and Efficient Local Governments

Local governments and the services they offer to the public exist to serve citizens. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one in five citizens lives with some type of disability. Slightly more than 18% of U.S. citizens have some type of disability that impairs their online access. These citizens reside within your local government boundaries and they need access to your local government website to get information, to work and to communicate. Accessibility laws mandate certain accessibility law standards that assure that governments provide web content that every citizen can easily … [Read more...] about How Your Local Government Can Ensure Compliance With U.S. Accessibility Requirements

Without a doubt, one of the most important documents in local government is the budget. The annual budget gives citizens their first impression of their local government’s priorities, as the budget reflects the government’s strategy, vision and priorities. Local governments spend the most money and invest the bulk of their time on their top identified issues. It’s not always easy to inspire the public’s trust in their local government. The integrity of the budget process helps to build or diminish trust between citizens, department leaders and elected officials. Each of them expects to see … [Read more...] about 5 Easy Budgeting Strategies for Local Government Success