ABSTRACT
Thomas highlights the role of citizens in communities today as citizens, customers, and partners. Public administrators often believe that more citizen input into the public policy process will improve government, because citizen engagement improves government transparency and, thus, residents' trust in government. In today's world, being able to engage the public is a crucial part of city management. A public affairs office or staff person in any local government department will have the responsibility for informing the public, the most basic form of civic engagement—and also, the most passive and one-directional of all means. Consulting the public entails one-way information; in this case, information comes from residents to the city. Empowering or working with the public is the most participative type of civic engagement. Technology is everywhere today, and so, of course, it needs to be part of any city's civic engagement strategy.
