In the past, when difficult decisions were being made that forced ruthless choices between priorities, more citizens were engaged, and most people understood the need for action. But now, with many more citizens tuning out, it is harder to engage voters in understanding and supporting difficult decisions. The education process is harder because fewer people are paying attention. There are 99 cable channels, and people surf away from the television news and local access programming. This, in turn, drives the media to cover the more dramatic and tragic items, and displaces the traditional and vital news.
Town meetings struggle to reach quorum requirements.
Election turnouts are lower than ever. With less information, it is understandable that many voters will expect the overall strength of the economy to solve all problems, including local revenues. Local leaders know that the mechanics of the economy are more complex than this, and that local governments are the last to benefit from the economic largesse. This has to do with the workings of national, state and local tax laws, which are generally set by the federal and state governments. As communities have become increasingly reliant on state aid to fund education, roads, public safety and the full range of local services, it is imperative that voters understand the connection between a healthy state government and hometown success.