A special report from Assemblymember Rocky J. Chavez.
Public service is a very rewarding experience. I am honored to have been given the privilege of serving at both the local and state levels of government. While I’ve enjoyed these two levels of public service, there are stark contrasts between local and state government. The most noticeable differences include constituent contact, budgets, committees, influence and collaboration. Local and state leaders should always strive to be of service to their constituents and create opportunities for them to succeed.
The mechanisms between the local and state levels of government are very different. Local government can take weeks to enact public policy, in order to install a stop sign for example, due to public notification requirements. State Government can move quickly to pass legislation that impacts millions of people. State legislators have the responsibility to protect their district but have been empowered to enact legislation that affects millions of Californians, whereas local government officials have been empowered to make public policy that only affects their local community. Funding is another example of a contrast between local and state government; at the local level of government funding is direct. The budgets that the local levels of government deal with are a much smaller amount of money than state budgets. For example, spending or saving $20,000 on something for the community at the local level is a great accomplishment. At the state level, elected officials deal with millions, if not billions, of dollars in expenditures every day.
As a local elected official there is much more direct contact with constituents and the feedback is immediate, I enjoyed many gatherings in private homes or at community events. Decisions are made and public policy is drafted at the local level by elected people who make executive decisions. In the State Assembly, legislators have the responsibility to represent a district that includes approximately 470,000 people and the level of feedback received from constituents is usually indirect. As a City Councilmember of Oceanside, my vote was one of five; in the State Assembly my vote is one of 80 or one of 120 if you take the California State Senate into account.
Committees at the local level are mostly comprised of constituents who are subject matter experts and who have a stake in what happens locally as a result of the proposed public policy. Committees at the state level are benefitted by having experts from across the state, and sometimes across the nation, to testify on matters of their expertise. The research available to state legislators can be the most up-to-date information available. The irony is that even with all the information provided by the experts in committees, too often members vote on political party lines and not based on the information provided by experts in the subject matter.
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve at the local and state level of government. In all the challenges that I have experienced on my path from City Council to the State Assembly, I have thoroughly enjoyed the great relationships with my colleagues, constituent feedback and passing meaningful public policy the most. The legislative process can be difficult, because California constituencies and political parties do not always agree, but when an agreement is reached by the entire legislative body, the people of California benefit greatly. The challenges faced by the legislature can be daunting at times, but are incredibly rewarding when success is achieved. It has been my experience that all systems of government in California are designed to best serve the people, and it has truly been an honor to serve at both the local and state levels of government.