Local government, in its existence, is not a profession of faith, the way a credal religion is.
It’s a limited delegation of popular sovereignty to produce definite, specific results. Words alone are insufficient.
(Needless to say, that’s true of religious belief, too: the Church rightly expects that faith leads to care for the poor and disadvantaged, not mere words on their behalf.)
Love is like this. How many times a man says he cares doesn’t justify him if he staggers home drunk and neglects his spouse and children. Love requires practical care.
Local officials have a lot to say. What should officials do?
Improve town-gown relations, keep costs down, provide basic services for which the many common people in this city pay taxes, stop distorting data for self-promotion, avoid flimsy public schemes, and respect that the foundation of this society’s prosperity rests on private property and private enterprise.
When they’ve done those things, they’ll have fulfilled their obligations satisfactorily; if they haven’t done those things, all the words in our language won’t be satisfaction enough.