Defending Civic Trust: The Responsibility of Local Leadership
Matt Lehrman, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Social Prosperity Partners
Government works best when people help shape solutions, not just oppose decisions. Yet today, cynicism runs deep, and efforts to dismantle government have grown from skepticism into a bold push that weakens local governments’ ability to function.
For local leaders—elected, appointed, and staff alike—this distrust isn’t just an abstract challenge. It fuels efforts to weaken municipalities, school districts, and counties in their ability to govern effectively, make strategic decisions, and serve their communities with confidence.
Local government is where democracy is most tangible. It’s where people interact with decisions that shape daily life—where potholes are filled, parks are maintained, schools are funded, and community planning takes shape. When local government functions well, trust in governance strengthens. But when people see inefficiency, exclusion, or dysfunction, skepticism spreads, reinforcing the idea that government—at any level—cannot be trusted.
The Crisis of Trust
Public discourse today is driven by polarization, misinformation, and civic detachment. Too often, residents engage with government only in opposition—to a zoning decision, a school curriculum change, or a budget allocation. A growing number of people, often labeled CAVE People (Citizens Against Virtually Everything), reflexively resist government action—not necessarily because they oppose the outcome, but because they distrust the process itself.
However, what local leaders now face is more than just skepticism—it’s a coordinated movement to delegitimize government’s role in solving problems. This effort isn’t about improving governance; it’s about hollowing it out, making it less effective, and further agitating public distrust. Across the country, organized efforts are working to strip funding from local government services, undermine civic institutions, and erode public confidence in government’s ability to function as a tool for collective problem-solving.
Since 2018, I’ve seen the crisis of trust in local government evolve through the experiences of thousands of local leaders. Through my From Conflict to Conversation keynote—delivered at more than 30 state municipal leagues, school boards associations, and county associations—I’ve witnessed how skepticism, disengagement, and division strain governance at every level. In red and blue states, urban and rural communities alike, leaders face the same challenge: fostering civic engagement, maintaining governance, and pushing back against growing distrust. The erosion of public confidence isn’t necessarily partisan—it’s a systemic issue affecting communities everywhere.
As I emphasize in From Conflict to Conversation, when people don’t feel heard, they become obstructionist. Frustration turns into outrage, not because of any single policy, but because of deeper fears—fear of losing control, fear of change, or fear that decisions are being made without them.
For local leaders, the challenge is twofold: first, to engage skeptics in meaningful dialogue before their disillusionment hardens into opposition, and second, to build a culture of trust that prevents cynicism from taking hold in the first place.
Civility pledges and calls for more respectful discourse, while well-intentioned, do little to address the root cause of public frustration. The problem isn’t just how people express their anger—it’s why they feel unheard and disconnected. Expecting residents to be more polite doesn’t rebuild trust in governance. Instead of focusing on improving the behavior of those who are frustrated, local leaders must improve the systems that create frustration. That means rethinking how decisions are made, communicated, and implemented—ensuring engagement is not just an afterthought, but an integral part of governance itself.
Shifting from Governing For the Public to Governing With the Public
Trust in government isn’t built through authority alone—it requires inclusion, transparency, and shared responsibility. Too often, local leaders focus on explaining decisions rather than engaging the public in shaping them. When people feel excluded, skepticism deepens, and opposition hardens. Governance works best when people see themselves as active participants, not outsiders to the process.
To restore confidence in local government, leaders should focus on three key strategies:
1. Make Participation the Norm, Not the Exception
Public engagement is often reactive—people show up only when they’re upset. But just as maintaining infrastructure and public safety are core municipal responsibilities, so too is managing the ideastructure—the systems and processes that shape how people participate in governance. Local governments must create ongoing, accessible opportunities for residents to engage before decisions reach a crisis point. Whether through participatory budgeting, citizen advisory boards, or interactive town halls, engagement must be embedded into governance—not treated as a procedural afterthought. A well-designed ideastructure ensures that civic participation is continuous, constructive, and integral to decision-making.
2. Shift from Outreach to Two-Way Dialogue
Public meetings often feel like battlegrounds, with residents lining up at microphones to vent frustrations. But what if these encounters were reframed? Instead of positioning government officials as defenders of decisions, leaders can facilitate “courageous conversations”—horizontal discussions among neighbors rather than top-down outreach. These mutual exchanges foster trust, understanding, and collaboration. By structuring small-group discussions, leveraging digital platforms, and engaging communities directly, local governments can turn conflict into constructive problem-solving.
3. Restore a Shared Sense of Purpose
In an era of deep cynicism, leaders must remind their communities that local government is not an adversary—it is a collective effort. Municipalities and school boards exist not to impose rules but to help people recognize and solve shared challenges. By framing civic engagement around problem-solving rather than power struggles, local governments can shift the narrative from distrust to partnership.
Building a Future of Civic Confidence
The health of democracy depends on trust, and trust begins where government is closest to the people. Local leaders must recognize that restoring confidence in government is not an abstract challenge—it is an urgent, ongoing responsibility. A community that has confidence in its local government is more likely to support bold initiatives, embrace innovation, and work through disagreements constructively. A community that lacks confidence will resist even the most well-intentioned efforts, viewing every decision as a battle.
Civic trust is not a given; it must be actively cultivated. That means ensuring transparency in decision-making, fostering respectful and inclusive conversations, and engaging the public in meaningful ways. It also means recognizing that skepticism, frustration, and even disagreement are not threats to democracy—they are symptoms of a deeper need: the need to feel connected, respected, and heard.
But today’s local leaders must do more than foster engagement; they must stand firm against efforts to weaken government itself. Defending the role of public institutions is not about preserving power—it is about upholding the principles of governance that leaders have sworn to faithfully protect. Faithfulness to the Constitution is not just about sincerity; it is about actively strengthening the very systems that allow communities to function and thrive.
Effective leadership isn’t about avoiding disagreement—it’s about making space for it in ways that strengthen, rather than fracture, communities. Local government has the unique opportunity—and obligation—to lead by example. By demonstrating openness, responsiveness, and a commitment to shared problem-solving, local leaders can reinforce the fundamental promise of democracy: that government is not a force imposed on the people, but a tool through which communities solve problems together.
This is not the time to start standing up for local government—this is the time to hold the line. To honor the oath of office. To push back against efforts to dismantle governance itself. Local leaders are not just administrators of civic trust; they are its guardians. Now, more than ever, they must act as champions of the institutions they serve.
Matt Lehrman is a civic facilitator and co-founder of Social Prosperity Partners, a national practice specializing in strategic planning, mediation, and public dialogue for governing councils and boards. He also hosts the Community Catalysts podcast, where local officials share hard-earned insights from their experiences in community leadership.