Local governments have traditionally focused on specific functions such as public safety, education, and transit. However, there is increasing pressure from both internal and external sources for these organizations to address extraneous priorities, such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This can lead to adverse results for those who rely on the government’s primary services.
For example, some groups demand that cities recruit full-time sustainability specialists, which diverts funds from core functions and consumes time that could be devoted to overseeing those functions. Municipal-finance expert Mark Moses recommends that city leaders “take inventory of what they have taken on” and “shed, not double or triple down on, ineffective policies.” This is challenging when activist constituents demand action on DEI or climate change at governing-board meetings.
Public colleges are also addressing what they define as “basic student needs,” such as food, housing, and childcare, which may displace some of their educational responsibilities. Transit agencies, which have lost much of their ridership during the Covid-19 pandemic, are branching out into areas outside their core function. For example, they are involved in transit-oriented development (TOD) projects, which can consume management time and create unforeseen liabilities.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) district in Oakland, Calif., leased land near Coliseum Station to an unqualified developer, and when apartments in the project flooded during last winter’s rainy season, residents took over a BART board of directors meeting to demand relief. The Bay Area transit agency is also heavily invested in DEI, with a permanent Office of Civil Rights responsible for BART’s “social justice strategy” and ensuring that riders have “fair and equal access” to the system. Meanwhile, BART has found itself unable to execute its core mission without a large taxpayer bailout.
In rare cases, mission creep can lead to the elimination of a special-purpose government. The Kent County Land Bank in Michigan transformed itself into a developer of modular housing, which led to complaints from private developers and its eventual dissolution.
While local governments face pressure to address extraneous priorities, they must be careful not to stray too far from their core competencies and risk adverse results for those who rely on their primary services. It is important for these organizations to regularly evaluate their activities and shed ineffective policies to ensure they are fulfilling their original missions.
