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 Can We Trust Local Government Leaders?
by Tom Campbell
June 21, 2007
Several pieces of legislation now before the General Assembly highlight a fundamental issue within our state. It is no secret that governments are under increased demands for services, and leaders have to determine how to pay the escalating costs for these services. For some time officials in cities and counties have asked for greater flexibility in the options they can use in trying to fund these increased demands.
The unspoken question is whether or not our legislators trust local elected officials to make good decisions regarding taxing and spending. The unspoken answer to the unspoken question isn’t difficult to hear. The 170 people in our legislature, or at least the leadership, clearly do not trust the men and women, selected by their neighbors, to make decisions responsibly.
In North Carolina, local governments are a creation of, report to, and are essentially controlled by the state. Yes, there are local elections that select persons to serve, but the state ultimately holds the purse strings, gives or restricts authority, and makes the laws by which school boards and city and county governments must abide. If you doubt this, just look at the number of the so-called “local” bills with which the legislature routinely deals. To be sure there is justification for having uniformity and basic guidelines among cities and counties, but there is strong evidence the legislature is unnecessarily micromanaging local units of government. It is ironic that the same legislators who don’t trust local officials to use good judgment don’t have that same lack of confidence in their own decision-making.
Perhaps they should. Consider the following. Do we have more recent examples of self-serving, corrupt, and unethical conduct exhibited by local officials or our legislators? Which group conducts more of their business behind closed doors? Which has been more fiscally responsible? More willing to face the really hard challenges?
But the ultimate question is whether it is easier to replace a city council member, county commissioner or an incumbent legislator who isn’t responsive to those who elect them. To be sure there are exceptions, but local officials are more visible, more approachable, generally more responsive and open in conducting public business. Unlike legislators, who often have “safe” seats, local officials who serve well are re-elected; those who do not aren’t returned.
It is time to demonstrate more trust, both trust in local people selecting those who will serve them and trust that those servants will exercise good judgment in decision-making. Legislators should give our local governments more autonomy and flexibility, especially in expanded options for generating revenues. While there are a few exceptions, the vast majority of our local leaders have earned that trust. |
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