Local Government Lecture Notes

City Government

• Obj: Explain how several kinds of city governments work.

Created by the state

• States create local governments. The state may take control or even do away with them.

• A municipality is incorporated - this means it has a government

• A city is a municipal government.

Created by the State, Cont’d.

• Urban communities can create a city by incorporating.

• To do this, they apply to the state legislature for a city charter - grants power to a local government.

• To obtain a charter, the community must include a population of a certain minimum size and submit petitions signed by residents supporting a charter.

Created by the State,

Cont’d.• The charter describes the type of

government, its structure, and its powers.

• State legislatures may grant home rule– allowing cities to write their own

charters, choose their own type of government, and manage their own affairs, within state laws.

• An urban community may be called a city, town, or village, depending on local preference or charter specifications. Regardless of size, most city governments provide the same basic services.

Mayor-Council Form of Govt.

• Power is divided between legislative and executive branches

• Voters elect a mayor and the members of the city council.

• The mayor is the chief executive and often appoints the heads of departments.

• The city council acts as the city’s legislature. It approves the budget and passes city laws – a.k.a. ordinances.

Mayor Cannon

Mayor-Council Form of Govt. Cont’d.

• Councils usually consist of fewer than 10 members who serve four-year terms.

• Some cities are divided into voting districts called wards.

• Each ward elects a council member. • Other councils consist of members-

at-large - elected by the entire city.

Mayor-Council System, Cont’d.

• Strong-Mayor System:– Usually found in large

cities• Mayor has strong powers

like the power to veto ordinances, appoint and remove officials, & prepare the budget.

– Even in large cities, council membership is usually a part-time job.

– A strong mayor usually works full time.

New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg

Chicago mayor Richard Daley

Mayor-Council Form of Local Govt., Cont’d.

• Weak mayor system:

– Weak-mayor system - mayor’s power is limited.

– The city council appoints department heads and makes most decisions.

– The mayor presides over council meetings but votes only in case of a tie.

Bill Saffo – Wilmington

Council-Manager Form of Local Govt.

• The council-manager form is a popular form of city government today.

• An elected council and chief

elected official (often the mayor) are responsible for making policy.

• City manager carries it out

Sterling B. Cheatham is the city manager of Wilmington. He was hired to this position by the Wilmington City Council

Charlotte’s Local Govt.

• Our city has a Council-Manager system of local government

• Mayor Cannon has a vote on the city council, but no veto power.

• The city council hires a city manager to run the day-to-day business of Charlotte.

Charlotte: The Queen City• Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of

North Carolina.• In 2012, the estimated population of Charlotte

according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 775,202, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population.

• The Charlotte metropolitan area ranks 23rd largest in the US and had a 2012 population of 2,296,569.

• Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans".

• The city is a major U.S. financial center, the second largest financial center by assets following New York City.

The Commission Form

• A few cities use a commission form of government.

• They elect usually 5 commissioners in citywide elections.

• Each commissioner heads a department.

• Commissioners perform executive duties for their departments and meet as a commission to pass ordinances and make policy decisions.

Commission Form, Cont’d.

• There is no separation of powers–commissioners are both legislators and executives (they write the local laws and carry them out)

• The commissioners pick one member to act as mayor, whose role is largely ceremonial.

• The commission system has drawbacks. • No one person is in charge, making responsibility

hard to pinpoint. • New commissioners may know little about their

departments. • When commissioners disagree, it may be difficult

to make decisions.

Special Districts

• Special District = Unit of govt. that deals with a specific function

– School districts

– Water/Sewer supply– Etc.

• Special districts may overlap cities.

Special Districts, Cont’d…”School Districts”

• A “School District” is a “Special District” that oversees all public schools within a given county.

• They are led by an “Elected” School Board & the School Board than hires a “Superintendent” to oversee the entire “School District”.

Dr. Heath Morrison

Metropolitan Areas

• A central city & surrounding suburbs. • Metropolitan Statistical Area = Metro area w/ 50,000 or more

people• One that includes more than one central city is a Consolidated

Metropolitan Statistical Area. • Growth of population and expansion of industry in metropolitan

areas have created many problems in transportation, pollution control, and law enforcement.

County Govts.

• County - largest territorial and political subdivision of a state.

• Counties vary greatly in population and land area.

• NC has 100 counties • 1800s - County

courthouse was the center of govt.

County Seat• Town with the county courthouse

County Govts. Cont’d.

• County governments have a variety of organizational structures across the country.

• Board of 3 to 5 elected commissioners governs most counties. Most serve four-year terms.

• Boards serve as the legislature, but some also have executive powers.

• Sheriff = Chief law enforcement officer elected for county

County Govts. Cont’d.

• Sheriff’s Dept.– Enforces court orders,

manages county jail.

• District Attorney - county’s prosecutor– Investigates crimes, brings

charges, and prosecutes cases in court.

Sheriff Chipp Bailey

D.A. R.Andrew Murray

County Govt., Cont’d.

• Coroner – Works with police to determine cause of death

County Govt., Cont’d.• County clerk - keeps

govt. records & supervises elections

• County Assessor - Estimates the worth of taxable property.

County Govt’s., Cont’d.

• Treasurer - Supervises county funds, makes payments, & may serve as tax collector.

• Auditor - Supervises treasurer’s so that no county money is spent w/o board’s approval.

County Govt. Cont’d.• County departments

also provide emergency medical service and support for volunteer EMS squads.

• In some areas, cities handle most services.

• • In others, county

governments have grown more important.

Towns, Etc.

Towns, Cont’d.• Smaller political units

within counties– Town - in New England– Townships - in the Midwest

and elsewhere

• Village – Incorporated area w/in a town

• In New England, town governments handle most community needs while counties are mainly judicial districts.

• In other states, townships and counties share authority, or there may be no townships at all.

Towns, Cont’d.• In the New England

Colonies, colonists met regularly to discuss issues.

• New England town meetings - form of direct democracy (not representative) became the local government.

• New England states still have a town form of government.

• Residents meet once a year to discuss what the town should be doing.

Towns, Cont’d.• Town meetings occur so rarely

that they are useful only for broad policymaking.

• Elected officials in New England towns today - “selectmen”

• Direct democracy has become impractical. Some New England towns now use representative town meetings.

• Others have eliminated meetings and instead have a town council to run the government.