Local government managers have been committed to improving life for the people in their communities from the beginning. This article provides a retrospective of the many social policy issues facing local government professionals over the past century (e.g., public health, revenues, women and minorities, social unrest) and into the 21st century (e.g., immigration reform, climate change, changing demographics, and terrorism).

This e-document is an article included in The Municipal Year Book 2014.