As a City Finance Director, I need to be very careful when discussing this topic.  I have kept my job in City government for 35 years because I understand the nuances of the oftentimes challenging policies and work product we perform at City Hall. This is what we sometimes call the “sausage making” of public policy at the local level.  I have been in hundreds of closed session meetings with the City Council, under the 54956 sections of the California Government Code.  Regardless of what you call the sensitive policymaking at City Hall, all decisions taken by the City Council, with the support of their professional staff, are ultimately made for the benefit of the community and the stakeholders it serves.

We do not discuss anything from these meetings except for what the City Council “reports out” from closed session, for the regular part of the agenda.  Maintaining what I have always called, “political integrity” is what Directors and Managers need to maintain, to help the City Council craft solutions to sensitive matters, as well as to bring their important projects to fruition.  Also, implementation of important policies and initiatives which benefit the community at large, happen only due to the skillful management of the City Manager, and the staff who assist them as the chief executive officer, hired by the City Council to perform this key leadership role.  Let’s now take a broader scope on this topic of sausage making at City Hall in the balance of this article.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Laws are like sausages. It’s better not to see them being made.” Funny thing is, that little phrase has scared people away from paying attention to how government actually works for generations. Maybe you’ve even thought, “Yeah, I don’t want to know what’s happening behind the curtain, it’s probably ugly.” But here’s the twist: even the story behind that famous quote is a little messy itself. And if we can’t even get the origins of a saying straight, what does that tell us about how easily government processes can get misunderstood?

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. While most people roll their eyes and step back from the messy world of city decisions, we want to encourage you to lean in. Because once you understand how those choices are made in your community, you start to see where your voice actually matters. That “sausage-making” process? It’s not nearly as mysterious, or as hopeless, as people make it sound.

Think about your own workplace for a moment. Complex projects involve multiple departments, competing priorities, and countless small decisions before reaching completion. City government works the same way – hundreds of participants including elected officials, lobbyists, agency representatives, and state officials all contribute to the final outcome. This apparent chaos isn’t a bug in the system – it’s a feature that serves democracy’s core purpose.

The question is: are you willing to look past the surface mess to understand how your community actually gets things done?

At MuniTemps, we’ve spent decades in municipal staffing and consulting, helping cities bring in skilled professionals who provide the administrative backbone every local government needs. Why? Because when cities have the right support, employees are better equipped to serve the community and tackle big challenges like understanding the real meaning behind how the sausage is made in city government.

This article is written with you in mind whether you’re a city employee, a manager, or simply someone curious about how government works. The goal? To help you establish a long-term perspective on how decisions really get made in local government, and why that messy process is actually good for democracy.

The Origin and Meaning of ‘How the Sausage is Made’

Let’s face it: most famous quotes about government get their own messy backstory. The phrase “how the sausage is made” first appeared in recorded usage in 1923, but its roots stretch back much further. That Bismarck attribution everyone loves to cite? Complete fiction.

The real credit belongs to lawyer-poet John Godfrey Saxe, who on March 27, 1869, declared that “laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made”. His observation hit the mark so well it evolved into the shorter version we use today. The Bismarck connection didn’t surface until the 1930s, when a political science textbook mistakenly linked him to the quote – proving that even academic sources aren’t immune to the messy process of information-making.

The expression captures “the practical and often unpleasant or messy aspects of a process that are usually not kept from public view”. More than that, it suggests knowing too much about certain procedures might kill your appreciation for the end result. Government circles have adopted this metaphor as shorthand – a way to bundle together both the ugliness of the legislative process and the idea that citizens might be better off looking the other way.

But here’s where the comparison falls apart. Stanley Feder, president of Simply Sausage, puts it bluntly: “I’m so insulted when people say that lawmaking is like sausage making”. Sausage production has one decision-maker – the wurstmeister. Legislation? That involves hundreds of cooks, each adding their own ingredients to the mix.

This distinction matters more than you might think. Understanding the difference between controlled mess and democratic mess changes everything about how you view your city’s decision-making process.

What Really Happens Behind Closed Doors

Think of city government as the foundation work happening before you see the finished building. Behind closed doors, your municipal government operates through negotiation, compromise, and stakeholder influence that would make any private sector deal-maker nod in recognition.

Let’s face it: most daily municipal activities are routine business – budgeting, policy amendments, personnel changes, and contract reviews. Nothing mysterious here. The real sausage-making emerges during difficult decisions that demand compromise.

This happens two ways: personality-driven negotiations or formalized processes. Sometimes your mayor and council members hammer out agreements face-to-face across a conference table. Other times, they create “locked-room” processes where stakeholders must develop mutually acceptable solutions or nobody goes home.

City budgets reveal where the rubber meets the road. These documents – arguably the most important policy papers your city produces – follow a complex timeline that begins six months into the fiscal year. Departments file appropriation requests that survive multiple rounds of review before reaching those public hearings where citizens finally get their say.

Meanwhile, money talks in ways most citizens never see. Local governments spent nearly $24 million lobbying state lawmakers in 2023. The return on investment? Cities hiring lobbyists secure 7-9% more per person in state funding. Wealthy communities often see even greater returns on their lobbying investments.

Here’s what creates the apparent chaos: two competing mindsets clash throughout these processes. The “uncompromising mindset” demands standing on principle and mistrusting opponents. The “compromising mindset” adapts principles and respects opponents. This tension – between campaigning promises and governing realities – explains why city decision-making looks messy from the outside yet remains essential for democracy to function.

Your city council isn’t broken when debates get heated. It’s working exactly as designed.

Why the Process Feels Messy but Actually Strengthens Democracy

City governance operates on what political scientists call “pluralism” – power gets distributed among multiple stakeholders. This diversity of voices creates messiness, but it also forms the foundation that keeps democracy strong.

Let’s face it: transparency in this process builds real public trust. The FDIC found that transparency maintains confidence in systems, increases public participation, and promotes more stable economic growth. That messiness you see in local government meetings? It’s competing interests getting balanced in real-time.

Multiple authorities in local government create better outcomes because they give you choices. But this same diversity sometimes creates confusion about who’s actually accountable. Public hearings – used by over 97% of local governments – show this tension perfectly. They let citizens express how strongly they feel about issues, not just whether they support or oppose something.

The messiness exists because your city government must constantly manage tradeoffs. When interest groups engage with their constituencies on issues that really matter, they become significantly more aligned with public opinion.

This messy process serves as the crucial bridge connecting different community interests. Local governance remains “the natural place for engineering the recovery of societies” and building community resilience through arrangements that establish legitimate authority.

Think of democratic governance like constructing a building – you need multiple contractors, architects, and specialists all working together. The coordination looks chaotic from the outside, but every voice serves a purpose in creating something stronger than any single builder could manage alone. That’s exactly why the “sausage-making” process works.

Your Role in the Democratic Process

The apparent chaos you witness in city halls across America isn’t disorder – it’s democracy working exactly as designed. Throughout this article, we’ve seen how the sausage-making metaphor, while imperfect, captures something essential about local government operations. John Godfrey Saxe’s original observation about laws and sausages continues to resonate because it speaks to a fundamental truth about governance.

Your understanding of these processes changes everything. Rather than turning away from the apparent messiness, recognizing the purpose behind competing voices, negotiation, and compromise allows you to participate more effectively in civic life. The complexity exists because democracy demands balance between multiple stakeholders, each representing different community needs and priorities.

City budgets, public hearings, and policy development might seem overwhelming at first glance. But these mechanisms ensure your voice carries potential impact. When stakeholders engage meaningfully with constituents on issues that matter, they become significantly more responsive to public opinion. The apparent disorder serves as your vital connection to government decisions.

Transparency in these processes builds the trust that keeps democracy functioning. While witnessing every negotiation and compromise might occasionally disappoint you, this visibility remains essential for accountability. The distribution of power among various interests creates necessary friction that prevents any single group from controlling the agenda.

Think of your civic engagement as an investment in your community’s future. Just like financial planning requires patience and consistent action, democratic participation demands the same long-term perspective. Each time you attend a city council meeting, submit public comments, or simply stay informed about local issues, you’re building the foundation for the community you want to live in.

Next time someone references “how the sausage is made” regarding your local government, remember this crucial difference: unlike actual sausage production with its single wurstmeister, democratic governance thrives precisely because of its many cooks. The messiness isn’t a flaw to hide but a feature that protects democratic principles.

After all, the most important ingredient in this particular sausage is your participation. Your voice, your vote, and your engagement determine whether local democracy serves everyone or just the loudest voices in the room.

Building on the points that were covered here, John Herrera, CPA, President and CEO of MuniTemps encourages every government employee to set clear goals for strengthening democracy in their own workplace. Remember that understanding the process isn’t just about politics, it’s about building trust, accountability, and stronger communities.

Contact our team at jobs@munitemps.com or visit our website at www.munitemps.com. At MuniTemps, we specialize in all things municipal including staffing, recruiting, and creating meaningful career opportunities for people who feel called to public service.

And if you want to dig deeper, head over to the MuniTemps CitySpeak YouTube channel. You’ll find video blogs from years ago that still hold true today, especially the ones on conservative, long-term financial planning. You might discover a tool or mindset you can apply in your own career. Don’t miss the video titled “What Recession Feels Like at City Hall.”. It offers practical insights into navigating tough economic times in the public sector.

Thanks for joining us today. Remember: government may look messy from the outside, but your participation and your commitment to learning are the key ingredients that keep democracy alive.