The Dynamic City: Responsiveness in Local Government

• In Event: Human Rights & Urban and Local Politics Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual Poster Session: Urban and Local Politics: New Directions in Urban Politics Research Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

Do constituents drive policy change in local government? Dynamic responsiveness exists when changes in policy preferences of citizens lead to changes in governmental policy. While many scholars find evidence that responsiveness exists at the national and state level, we have mixed results about its existence on the local level. Yet, due to fiscal federalism and their policymaking authority, much of what people want in terms of government action is determined by municipalities. Previous studies are ill-suited to answer whether responsiveness on the local level exists because they lack a time-varying measure of ideological preferences. Using data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Survey, Gallup Poll Social Series, and the National Annenberg Election Surveys, I estimate political ideology over time for municipal governments in the United States. I use this new measure to assess the impact of ideological change on local governments' taxing and spending behavior. The findings suggest that dynamic responsiveness exists in these small-scale democracies. The results, however, add nuance to the debate. I provide evidence that local governments are only responsive in particular areas. This study speaks to the broader literature on representation in democracies and the extent to which citizens have the limited ability to influence governmental policy.

Author

• Bryant James Moy, Washington University in St. Louis