Local Government

Local Government

• In the United States, the states have the right to establish local governments.

• States use their own constitutions to legalize and define their local governments.

• Local governments are made up of municipalities.

• A municipality is a unit of local government that is incorporated by the state and that has a large degree of self-government.

• Municipalities can include a state’s cities, towns, villages, and boroughs.

Local Government

• Our local governments provide the conveniences and services that we have come to expect to make our daily lives easier.

• For example, we expect the roads to be in good repair and to allow us to get to and from work or school safely.

• Street cleaning and trash collection help keep our neighborhoods neat and disease-free.

• Electricity, running water, and sewage systems keep our homes, schools, and workplaces comfort- able, efficient, and safe.

• A city is the largest type of municipality.

Local Government

• Police and fire protection, water-conservation efforts, and snow removal are also provided by local governments.

• Local governments also provide education and keep records.

• Some governments supply their citizens with public transportation or recreation areas.

Local Government

• The highest level of local government is the county.

• A county is a division of state government formed to carry out state laws, collect taxes, and supervise elections in a single small area.

• Louisiana calls its county-level government units parishes, while Alaska calls its counties boroughs.

• County government is often the largest unit of local government.

• County employees provide services such as health care, police protection, welfare, corrections, recreational areas, and libraries. In some areas in a few states, county and city governments are combined into one legislative body.

Local Government

• At the head of county governments is a group of officials elected by the voters.

• This group may be called the county board, board of commissioners, county court, or board of county supervisors.

• These officials form the county’s legislative body.

• They have the power to pass laws regulating health and safety throughout the county.

• They also may collect real estate taxes, sales taxes, and personal property taxes.

• County governments also have an executive branch.

Local Government

• However, unlike executive branches at other levels of government, county executive branches usually have no single leader.

• Instead, county voters elect several county officials, each with his or her own responsibilities.

• In some places, however, the traditional form of county government has been replaced with a county manager and county executive.

• The county executive is elected by the voters and the county manager is appointed by the county board to supervise county business and services.

Local Government

• One of these elected officials is the county sheriff who usually commands several deputies and an office staff.

• The sheriff arrests lawbreakers and carries out the orders of county courts.

• In many states, the sheriff is responsible for law enforcement only in the areas of the county that are not part of a city.

Local Government

• The county clerk keeps a record of the actions and decisions of the county board.

• In addition, the clerk keeps birth records, marriage records, death records, and election results.

• County treasurers are responsible for the county’s funds.

• County auditors also watch the money the county receives and the money it spends.

• County officials may also include a coroner, who investigates unnatural deaths.

• A county prosecutor— also known as the district attorney—who represents the state in county trials.

Local Government

• The duties of local government officials are usually outlined in state-approved charters.

• A charter is a basic plan for a local government unit that defines its powers, responsibilities, and organization.

• Of course, a charter cannot violate state or federal laws. It is the job of local governments to make communities better places to live.

• To accomplish this job, local lawmaking bodies have the power to pass ordinances, or regulations that govern a community.

• Ordinances also cannot conflict with state or federal laws. Local law enforcement groups, such as police departments, are responsible for enforcing both local ordinances and state laws.

Local Government

• Local governments also help the state by making sure election procedures follow state guidelines.

• Local officials both supervise the voting process and provide citizens with polling places—that is, places where people can cast their ballots. Without local assistance, state and federal elections could not happen.

Open Ended

What are some of the services local government provide?

Open Ended

Why must states and local governments cooperate?

Local Government

• A town is a unit of local government, usually larger than a village and smaller than a city.

• The colonial town included both the homes, churches, and other buildings and surrounding farmlands.

• The people who lived in early New England towns created the town meeting, a simple yet powerful form of local government.

• In a town meeting, all citizens meet regularly to discuss town issues.

• After all opinions regarding an issue have been voiced, the people at the meeting vote on that issue.

• This means that each person has a direct voice in the government.

Local Government

• Town meetings often are held in con-junction with town elections. At the elections, townspeople typically elect from three to five officials to manage the town’s affairs between town meetings.

• The town meeting form of government can work well in areas that have small populations.

• Direct democracy is practical in such towns because it is easier for all the voters to gather in one central location at one time.

Local Government

• In colonial times, New England states used the town form of government.

• Other states, especially New York, New Jersey, and Penn-sylvania, used a form of government called a township.

• Townships in other parts of the country, especially the Midwest, have a dif- ferent history. In the early 1800s, the United States expanded westward. Americans moved into new land where they had not previously settled. Congress divided this new land into perfectly square units, usually 6 miles (an hour’s buggy ride) by 6 miles on a side.

• As people from the East moved in, they set up local governments they called civil townships.

Local Government

• People living in a certain area may have a special need. In such cases these people may go directly to the state legislature and ask for a charter to set up a special district.

• A special district is a unit of government formed to meet many different needs, including fire protection, libraries, parks and recreation centers, public transportation, and sewage disposal.

• A special district may include several cities. For example, a hospital district might serve several cities. Each city would have to pay taxes for the services it receives. The state legislature usually sets up a commission to handle the details of establishing and operating the special district.

Local Government

• School districts are considered special districts by some researchers. These districts are created by states to provide funds for local schools.

• There are more than 14,000 school districts in the United States. Each district has its own governing body called a board of education.

• An executive, usually called a superintendent of schools, manages the district’s day-to-day operations.

Local Government

• School districts are considered special districts by some researchers. These districts are created by states to provide funds for local schools.

• There are more than 14,000 school districts in the United States. Each district has its own governing body called a board of education.

• An executive, usually called a superintendent of schools, manages the district’s day-to-day operations.

Multiple Choice

A ______ is a unit of local government, usually larger than a village and smaller than a city.

• Metropolis

• Town

• County

• Suburb

Multiple Choice

As people from the East moved in, they set up local governments they called ___________ townships.

• County

• City

• Civil

• Cash

Multiple Choice

An executive, usually called a __________________ of schools, manages the district’s day-to-day operations.

• Principal

• Assistant Principal

• Secretary

• Superintendent

Local Government

• Traditionally, cities received their charters and their authority from the state legislature.

• Increasingly, however, states have been granting to cities an authority called home rule.

• Under home rule, a city can write and amend its own municipal charter. This charter, usually written by a commission, must be approved by the voters.

Local Government

• The oldest and most common form of city government is the mayor-council government.

• In this kind of government, the city council is the legislative body, while the mayor is the city’s chief executive officer.

• In mayor-council governments, a city may be divided into several districts, often called wards.

• The people of each ward elect one person to represent them in a city council. In some cities, several council members at large are elected by all the voters in the city, rather than just the voters of one ward. Usually the mayor is also elected at large.

Local Government

• A new form of government was introduced in Galveston, Texas, around 1900. Under the commission form of government, a city is governed by a commission that usually consists of three to nine elected officials, or commissioners.

• The commission acts as the city’s legislative body, passing laws for the community.

• The commission also acts as the city’s executive body, with each commissioner heading up a city department and enforcing laws relating to that department. For example, one commissioner usually heads the department of public safety, which includes the police and firefighters.

Local Government

• Another commissioner oversees public works. This official sees that the city has an adequate supply of clean water and that the streets are kept in good repair.

• A third commissioner oversees the city’s finances, including tax collection.

• Another commissioner might supervise the public welfare department, which helps the city’s disadvantaged citizens.

• Still another commissioner might run the health department, which supervises hospitals, clinics, and health inspectors in the city.

Local Government

• The commission form of city government has certain disadvantages. For example, voters may find it difficult to elect officials who know how to run a department of the city’s government.

• In addition, commissioners sometimes disagree about who should manage activities and budgets that fall under the jurisdiction of different departments.

• The council-manager plan of government is really a commission with a city manager added.

• Under the council-manager plan, voters elect a city council to act as the city’s lawmaking body. The council then appoints a city manager as the city’s chief executive.

Local Government

• The city manager appoints the heads of the city departments. These officials report directly to the city manager, who may also remove them from office.

• The council-manager government has several advantages. First, because the city manager is appointed and not elected, he or she is usually free from any political pressure. In addition, the council can fire the city man- ager if he or she does not do a good job.

• However, there are disadvantages to this form of government. Some cities cannot afford to hire a good manager, and some crit- ics argue that city officials should be directly accountable to the voters.

Multiple Choice

The oldest and most common form of city government is the ______________ government. 

• Mayor-Council

• Mayor-City

• Mayor-Charter

• Mayor-Change

Multiple Choice

Under the council-manager plan, voters elect a __________ _______ to act as the city’s lawmaking body. The council then appoints a city manager as the city’s chief executive.

• City Business

• City Charter

• City Council

• City Members

Multiple Choice

Some cities cannot ____________ to hire a good manager, and some critics argue that city officials should be directly accountable to the voters.

• Afford

• Change

• Win

• Spend

Local Government

• The federal government ensures the cooperation of state and local governments by providing funds to help them implement impor-tant programs.

• For example, grants-in-aid are federal funds given to state and local governments for specific projects, such as air- port construction or pollution control.

• The government receiving the funds must meet certain standards and conditions, and must often provide some money of its own for the project. Grant-in-aid projects are subject to supervision by the federal government.

• Like grants-in-aid, block grants are funds given by the federal government to state and local governments. However, block grants are given for broadly defined purposes.

Local Government

• State and local governments develop and carry out the programs on which the funds will be spent. However, they must establish a spending plan and report expenditures to the federal government.

• In the same way, states work with local gov- ernments to assure the quality of life in the United States.

• For example, stores and businesses must obey many state laws that require good business practices. State health regulations protect people eating at local restaurants. State education requirements ensure that all students in the state are offered the same education.

• For the same reason, workers in local factories and mines are protected by state inspectors who ensure that the industries obey all safety regulations.

Local Government

• State bank inspectors help ensure that bank accounts are safe and that banks are following state and federal banking regulations.

• State governments also establish state licensing boards. These boards administer examinations and issue licenses to accountants, dentists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, nurses, teachers, and other professionals. This service helps to ensure that communities have qualified professional workers and that these workers meet certain standards.

Multiple Choice

State ______ ________ help ensure that bank accounts are safe and that banks are following state and federal banking regulations.

• Bank Executives

• Bank Inspectors

• Bank Workers

• Bank Managers

Multiple Choice

State governments also establish state licensing ____________

• Certifications

• Boards

• Shipments

• Businesses