Today, we live in an information-saturated, pop culture-dominated society. A public agency’s press release about an energy initiative that saves millions of taxpayer dollars, reduces hundreds of thousands of greenhouse gas emissions, creates new jobs and improves health and safety can go unseen by the general public and mainstream media; replaced by the latest viral TikTok or Tweet from an official.
At PublicCEO, our mission is to elevate stories about local government. Getting important information to local leaders shaping the direction of California’s cities, towns, counties and special districts remains our priority. There has arguably never been a more important time than now, in 2024, to hear from you–local leaders, our readers–on initiatives you’re advancing, programs you object to or policies that will improve communities.
There is a lot of work to do. Work to address serious problems like wildfires, a distressed economy, skinny budgets, rising pension costs, misinformation, housing challenges and a homeless epidemic.
The solutions to these challenges are coming to life in our local governments, in the minds of those at city hall and on the dias, and through cross-sector collaboration and private-public partnerships. We’ve seen innovation in cities like Grover Beach and Temecula, who in partnership with local internet service providers and school districts, launched free WiFi gardens so students had a new way of attending virtual class and completing assignments. Tucked in the Bay Area, the City of San Leandro is adapting to California’s energy market volatility by building its own microgrid so it can keep critical infrastructure online during power shutoffs.
It’s stories like these that need to be told and shared. Stories that can inspire others in local government and catalyze efforts to address California’s challenges. PublicCEO wants to foment conversation and share ideas. Through our PublicCEO platform, you can share your ideas with peers in California local government.
If you want to opine on an idea or share your valuable insight on debated policy issues, share your op-ed with us. We will help get the word out and do our part to help advance ideas and debate in California.