In an era when national issues often dominate public attention, some of the most immediate challenges affecting daily life are occurring at the local government level.
Local government is responsible for providing essential services, such as public safety, education, infrastructure and healthcare, to the communities it serves. However, many aren’t tuning into city council meetings, tracking how their local tax dollars are being used or are unaware of which departments take care of basic services, according to California State University, Northridge political science professor Tom Hogen-Esch.
“The depth and breadth of services provided by local government are just astounding,” Hogen-Esch said. “From the most basic services that we take for granted like clean water, to electricity, trash, roads, libraries. And one of the biggest, of course, is education. One of the problems that I face in teaching local government is just demystify all of the different types and functions of local government.”
It’s an issue that came to the forefront after the devastating fires in Altadena, served by the County of Los Angeles, and the Pacific Palisades, served by the City of Los Angeles. Hogen-Esch described the fires and the challenges of climate change as “a real wake-up call to the primary role of local government, public safety.”
In Los Angeles, the second largest municipality in the country, the role and size of local government have been topics of discussion for years. In the backdrop of the fires, it has also become a key issue in this year’s mayoral election, Hogen-Esch said, which takes place on June 2.
“The response of the LA Fire Department and whether the department itself is functional to respond to a major fire has become one of the big issues in the mayoral race,” Hogen-Esch said. “These are basic but very important services to the people of a city of nearly 4 million people – a population larger than 20 states.”
Hogen-Esch said that the renewed focus on municipal government is positive, highlighting that while people speaking out about their community is an important first step, actively participating in local elections and attending neighborhood council meetings is equally crucial for constituents who want their city to reflect their values.
Another way to improve civic engagement is by introducing local government at a younger age, which Hogen-Esch says is currently not part of the state’s curriculum.
“Students are never really taught about this crazy quilt of local government and what each level of government does and why they’re so important in our lives,” Hogen-Esch said. “We spend too much time, I think, obsessing about all of the toxic drama in our national politics when getting involved with government at the local level should be our focus because that’s where you see the biggest impact.”
According to Hogen-Esch, it shouldn’t take an election or a natural disaster for people to become aware of what is taking place in their own community. He stressed that regular, active participation is a sign of a healthy democracy.
“Everybody has taken these partisan sides without realizing that the most important level of government is the one serving their community,” he continued. “That’s the level of government where people should really engage.”