1. Policy Making In the Public Interest
Chapter 2
Trends Influencing Policy

2. Local Government Is On Its Own
Mayor for Minneapolis, Minnesota-Cities are last functioning form of American government.
Metropolitan Revolution-Cities are on their own. Policy responsibilities have shifted to local governments

3. Factors Influencing Policy Development
Complexity
Wicked Problems
Globalization
Regionalization
Collaboration
Growth

4. Factors Influencing Policy Development
Diversity
Deteriorating Infrastructure
Technology
Federalism
Collapse in Public Confidence

5. Factors Influencing Policy Development
Globalization
Diversity
Deteriorating Infrastructure
Technology
Federalism
Collapse in Public Confidence

6. Complexity
Issues do not follow traditional jurisdictional boundaries.
Many unrelated organizations have some mission responsibility for issues
Organizations cannot unilaterally address issues and do not know all organizations addressing issue.
Private sector, civic organizations, non-profits, educational institutions, many governmental organizations with issue responsibility.
Information & demands enter organization at all points and levels and demand immediate attention.
Issues not easily understood, have unexpected outcomes, and change fundamentally over time.

7. State Gov’t Other Local Gov’ts Federal Gov’t Federal Gov’t Non-profits
Elected
Officials
Non-
profits
State
Gov’t
Chief Executive
Traditional
Organization
Post
Modern
Social
Network
(Media)
Social
Network
(Media)
Other
Interests
Other
Local
Gov’ts
Other
Interests
Special Interests
Citizens
Citizens 2

8. Can’t be solved by what has worked before.
Wicked Problems
Problems are ambiguous, multi-causal factors, lack of consensus on how to deal with them,
Problems do not have linear solutions or solutions that can be solved by one organization.
Can’t be solved by what has worked before.
Example is developing transportation program for

9. Collaboration
Historical concept of political boundaries are a legacy of the past.
Scale of issues requires regional and collaborative service delivery.
Involves government(s), non-profits, businesses, NGOs who have common overlapping mission.

10. Technology
Technology allows exponential increase in citizen engagement. Expand beyond “professional citizens”.
Effective use requires diversification-social media, electronic dialogues, polling etc.
Must only be one part of citizen engagement co-equal to traditional face to face dialogues.

11. Collapse In Public Confidence
Institutions are distrusted by public. Only military and law enforcement have greater than 50% confidence of American public.
Only 19% trust federal government; down from 77% in 1964
Local government is outlier in this trend with 70% of public expressing confidence in competence.
To maintain this confidence local government must focus on entire community; the public interest.

12. Other trends
Globalization has impacted beyond change local economies and economic development.
Intergovernmental revenues from federal and state governments will continue decline.
Population continue shifting to urban areas. Population will continue to be more ethnically-racially diverse. Building social cohesion will be a policy challenge
National infrastructure rated D+. Regional & inter-state collaborative action required to effectively address deficiencies.

13. Other trends
National infrastructure rated D+. Regional & inter-state collaborative action required to effectively address deficiencies.
Problem for local government to effectively address trends is one of scale. Artificial political boundaries are barrier to developing needed scale.
Regionalization & collaboration involving multi-sectoral organizations must become new norm to effectively address 21st century issues. .

14. Summary of trends
Problems are larger in scope than what local government traditional had responsibility for. Many 21st century problems not contemplated in 20th century.
New methods to identify and address issues must be used
Effectiveness of policy and programs now requires new forms of multi-sectoral collaboration crossing historical political- geographical boundaries.
Citizens must help shape policy as active partners with government.