A number of cities and local agencies post a broad spectrum of public information online.
Resources to Help Local Officials Promote Transparency The Institute for Local Government (ILG) offers a wide range of re-
“Open Government” page on the League website (www.cacities.org/Resources/ Open-Government) provides numerous resources, and the “City Forum” article on page 6 offers an overview of what you will find there. In addition, every other month Western City features the “Everyday Ethics for Local Officials” column; this month, it covers “Blind Spots: Money, Public Service and the Ethical Hazards of Self-Interest” on page 8. Creating a culture of ethics in your city doesn’t happen overnight. Cultivating transparency requires careful thought, concerted effort and ongoing commitment. But as Thomas Jefferson said, “Information is the currency of democracy.” As local elected officials, we can serve our communities most effectively when we work in an open, transparent, inclusive and straightforward manner. n
sources to assist local officials’ and local agencies’ efforts to promote transparency and good government. Helping the Public Understand and Participate in Local Agency Decision-Making. ILG’s Local Government 101 materials (www. ca-ilg.org/local-government-101) make the task of explaining public agency decision-making processes less burdensome. These materials (some of which are also available in Spanish) include a variety of plain-language explanations of local agency functions and their key elements. Local agencies are encouraged to include links to these resources on their websites or adapt the content to meet local needs. Options for Enhancing Authentic and Effective Public Engagement. ILG’s Public Engagement program provides information and resources to help local officials make good decisions about designing and using public engagement in their communities. The ILG website offers best practices, strategies to broaden public participation and experiences of communities throughout the state (www.ca-ilg.org/ public-engagement). Promoting Pursuit of the Public Interest: Public Service Ethics.
More Resources Online
ILG provides a variety of resources for local officials, including analyses of everyday ethical dilemmas that public officials face (www.ca-ilg. org/EverydayEthics), plain-language explanations of public service
For links to related resources and additional information, read the online version of this article at www.westerncity.com.
www.westerncity.com
ethics laws (www.ca-ilg.org/ethicsbasics) and tools for promoting public service ethics (www.ca-ilg.org/ethics-tools).
Western City, December 2012
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