The NC Association of County Commissioners is touting an upcoming Internet seminar from the UNC School of Government designed to help elected officials and public administrators “help citizens understand the realities of tough economic times.”
What will you say to your citizens, constituents, or the media about upcoming budget cuts or tax increases in your community?
This webinar will help elected officials and public administrators be prepared to communicate about these and other challenges currently facing local governments. Presenter Mark Weaver is a national communications advisor with two decades of communication expertise. He is president of Communications Counsel Inc. and a frequent presenter in the School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy.
Topics will include:
• Application of communication principles of primacy, inoculation, and cognitive dissonance
• How public officials can effectively respond to public concerns
• The role of blogs and other social media
• Points on public disagreement
• The changing role of traditional news media outlets
Fair enough. I’m all for local officials being skilled at explaining and defending their views and policy decisions. However, I am not for better spin. I wonder how public officials will respond to citizens who understand the trends in North Carolina. As JLF’s Michael Sanera explains in this brief interview, in most counties and cities in North Carolina, revenue growth over a five-year period has outpaced the rate of inflation and population. .
