The Importance of City Charters

At the national level, activists on the left and right are working vigorously to change our society, culture and political order. But the political domain that affects our daily lives more than any other, our city and town governments, receives the least attention.

The neglect of local politics may, in part, stem from the fact that it is often harder than ever to fight city hall. But this weakness in engaging local government has many roots, chief among them ignorance of a powerful tool to do better, a city charter.