GOAL 1: Enhance the public's confidence in local government by coupling strong leadership with strict accountability.
INDICATOR: Confidence in government as measured through opinion polls
Why is this important?
Effective government depends on both public trust and accountability. If a normally healthy skepticism of government officials degenerates to the point of cynicism and negativity, however, community involvement suffers and public needs and challenges may go unmet.
How are we doing?
When asked about their confidence in federal, state, and local governments' abilities to handle domestic problems, 49 percent of the respondents said they trusted federal government "a fair amount" or "a great deal." This is down five percent from the 2005 survey. 66 percent gave similar replies about state government. In regard to county government, 60 percent of respondents said they have "a great deal" or "fair amount" in their government, while 70 percent said the same about their city.
Community Building
