According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans across the country trust their local government more than their state government. 72% of U.S. adults polled said they have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of trust in their local government, compared with 63% answering the same about their state government.
Why Local Government is Trusted More
1. Local Government is more accessible. Here in St. Charles, all citizens are welcome to come to any public meeting and voice their opinion in front of elected officials—no appointment is necessary.
2. The impacts of local government decisions are readily visible. The decisions made by our City Council are everywhere. All you have to do is look out your window to see roads being resurfaced, new buildings being constructed, or hear police and fire departments responding to a call.
3. Locally elected officials/City workers are your neighbors. You may see aldermen, the mayor, or City employees at various community functions. An environment that provides ample opportunities to engage with local officials is a demonstration of the purest form of democracy.
4. Local government handles more tangible issues that affect their citizens’ everyday lives. Everyone can relate to a practical debate about whether a sidewalk should be installed near a local park to keep children safe vs. an ideological debate about talks being held with a leader of a country that is halfway around the world.
Here at the City, we work hard to earn and maintain your trust. All citizens are invited to attend public meetings to learn more about the workings of your government. Review the public meeting schedule at www.stcharlesil.gov/meetings.
