Local Government in Massachusetts

Reorder

What is municipal government?

Reorder the sentences to create a short paragraph explaining municipal governments. Then add an answer to your notes page.

• Municipal governments are the governments of our cities and

• towns. Municipal governments are the governments that work closest to the people in

• our communities and provide important services to the people. Whether a municipality

• has a city or town government is determined by the state government.

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2

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• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Multiple Choice

True or False: The definition of what a city, a state, or a town is different in different states.

• False
• Partially true
• Depends on the weather
• True

Dropdown

In Massachusetts there are a total of ​

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municipalities in the state of Massachusetts (​

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Cities and ​

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towns). There are a number of differences between a city and town in Massachusetts, but the main difference is the type of ​

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that the community has, not the number of people who live there.

Match

Match the questions and answers below.

• The state government

• Who decides the boundaries of a municipality?

• Both cities and towns have legal document (like a constitution) that creates the government of a city or town. Sometimes the state write this and give it to a town, other times the people write it and ask the state to approve it.

Who gives a municipality its power?

The state government

What is a charter?

• Who gives a municipality its power?

• The state government

• What is a charter?

Match

How are cities and towns both similar to and different from each other?

• -Overseen by a board of select man

  -Decisions are made by the board and/or the citizens at Town Meetings

  -May also be governed by a town council

• -Created using a charter

  • -Receive there power and authority from the state

  • -Have a government that makes decisions and provides services to the people.

• -Citizens elect representatives called city councilors to hold meeting and make decisions

  -Have elected school committees who make decisions about the schools

  -Have a mayor who

Towns

Both

Cities

• Towns

• Both

• Cities

Dropdown

One of the most important things that municipal governments do is provide ​

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to their citizens of the city or town. In order to provide these services, municipal governments ​

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many people who work in a number of different ​

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in the city or town. Municipal services require cities and towns to bring in ​

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in different ways.

Match

Match each of the Municipal Departments to the types of services they provide to the community.

• Include services like gas, electric, water, wastewater treatment, and garbage removal

• Work with the state and federal government to run the local k-12 schools and community colleges

•  This department includes the kinds of services that protect residents of a municipality. Police, fire protection, 911 services, and emergency responders all fall under this category

Utilities

Education

Public Safety

• Utilities

• Education

• Public Safety

Match

Match each of the Municipal Departments to the types of services they provide to the community.

• Includes the maintenance of public buildings, public roads and bridges, public transportation and parking services.

• Job training programs and subsidized, or discounted, housing for those in need are offered at the local level. Public health services like health code inspections of restaurants and hotels or water quality checks keep the community in good health.

• This department is in charge of deciding how land throughout the municipality can be used; such as if land can be used for homes or if it has to be used for business.

Public Works and Transportation

Health and Human Services

Land Use Management

• Public Works and Transportation

• Health and Human Services

• Land Use Management

Dropdown

Municipal governments need a lot of ​

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to provide all of the different services to members of their community. Although they get some money from the state and federal ​

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, it is usually not enough. In order to provide things like utilities, education and ​

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cities and towns have to collect taxes from the people who live, work and shop in their community. These ​

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alone are not enough to pay for all of these services however. As a result, many municipalities have to charge ​

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(money) for different services they provide.