Government Roles and Responsibilities

The video tutorial explains the executive branch at the local level, focusing on cities and counties. It describes the roles of mayors, city managers, and city councils in city governments, and the functions of county boards and officials like the county assessor, clerk, treasurer, and sheriff in county governments. The tutorial highlights the services provided by these branches and the differences in governance structures.

What is the primary function of representative governments?

• To enforce laws

• To represent the people

• To manage public funds

• To represent the interests of the government

Who is typically the chief executive at the city level?

• Police Chief

• City Manager

• City Council

• Mayor

What is one of the responsibilities of a mayor in a city?

• Maintaining public records

• Enforcing state laws

• Appointing department heads

• Collecting taxes

How is a city manager appointed?

• Elected by city employees

• Elected by the public

• Appointed by the mayor

• Appointed by the City Council

What is a common criticism of city managers?

• They are not elected by the people

• They lack professional qualifications

• They have too much power

• They are elected by the City Council

What is the role of county governments?

• To enforce state laws

• To manage city services

• To oversee federal laws

• To appoint city managers

What are members of the county board often called?

• Mayors

• Commissioners or Supervisors

• City Managers

• Police Chiefs

What is the responsibility of the County Assessor?

• Collecting taxes

• Enforcing laws

• Determining property values

• Maintaining public records

Who is responsible for maintaining records like birth and death certificates in a county?

• County Sheriff

• County Treasurer

• County Clerk

• County Assessor

What is the role of the County Sheriff?

• Appointing department heads

• Enforcing laws for the entire county

• Managing public funds

• Determining property values