Consideration of Local Government Capacity

Local governments in the US vary in their ability to deal with problems. A lack of clarity in the definition of such terms as capability, capacity, and capacity-building has potentially negative research and policy consequences. Local management capacity is determined in 3 general areas: 1. policy management, 2. resource management, and 3. program management. However, a definition of capacity that stresses management can be unduly restrictive and draw attention from areas of community life that are equally important components of capacity. Current efforts to build local government capacity are based upon faulty premises. Capacity is defined in terms of management practices that communities should possess if they are to be effective, a result being the deduction of specific capacity needs from a general ideal image of community capacity. An alternative (and more useful) approach to the present capacity-building efforts might start with a definition of capacity as the ''ability of a local government to do what it wants to do.'' It can be concluded that the local-government-capacity problem is more a conceptual problem than a problem of management practices and techniques. Advocacy of management improvements may detract time and effort from more fundamental concerns.