THE POLITICAL SYTEM OF THE UNITED STATES LECTURE 10 LOCAL GOVERNMENT

FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT Similar functions as state government, emphasis on local services Exclusive functions: record keeping (birth certificates, marriage licenses, property deeds) Regulating local activities: door to door sales, zoning: use of public area for business use (establishment of pubs, bars is prohibited near schools) Setting residential, industrial zones

FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT Public education:establishment of school districts Functions performed by local and state governments together: Building and maintaining hospitals Maintaining roads and streets Provide recreational facilities Protect natural resources

SOURCE OF FINANCING Property tax : based on assessed value (fraction of the market value) Tax on homeowners and owners of business properties Taxpayers’ revolt: Proposition 13, 1970’s Limited income for local government Direct democracy Initiative, referendum, recall Petition, ballot people make law, bottom up process

Referendum government asks people about a potential law, top down process Recall: removal of elected official WORKS ONLY AT THE STATE OR LOCAL LEVEL, NOT ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL

COUNTY GOVERNMENTS Units of local government except in Louisiana: parishes, Alaska: boroughs Origin of counties: English history (shires, shire reeve—sheriff Counties were organized in rural areas Largest size county: San Bernardino Center: county seat

COUNTY OFFICIALS Counties are generally governed by elected officials Governing organization: Board of Supervisors, Board of Commissioners County boards have legislative and executive powers Main legislative power: setting taxes, zoning, regulating places of entertainment

COUNTY GOVERNMENT Executive function: supervising departments carrying out county regulations County clerk: keeps records (births, deaths, marriages) County treasurer: taking in and paying out money County assessor: determining the value of all property found in the county County coroner, (forensic expert, coroner’s quest) law enforcement officials Sheriff’s Department

CITY GOVERNMENT Originally rural nation, formation of cities in the second half of the nineteenth century Factors behind urbanization: American Industrial Revolution, arrival of immigrants, automobile industry, suburbanization, public transportation, cast iron construction,elevator, department store State issues a charter to the city Charter: plan of government authorized by the state legislature for the city

TYPES OF CITY GOVERNMENT Mayor-council Most common type Voters elect both a mayor and a council Council exercises legislative power, passes city laws: ordinances sets local taxes Mayor: chief executive of the city Strong mayor system: appoints heads of depts.most common in large cities: Richard J. Daley in Chicago Political machine: a party stays in power in return for economic favours (buying votes) Weak mayor system: limited powers, found in small cities except Los Angeles, Tom Bradley-Los Angeles

COMMISSION FORM OF GOVERNMENT Each city department head is elected Department heads together form the commission Became popular after the hurricane in 1901 in Galveston, Texas. Weak mayor city government was unable to handle the problem

COUNCIL-MANAGER SYSTEM Members of city council are elected and they hire a city manager Professional manager, similar to a CEO of a corporation Came to life to struggle against political corruption, the boss system, patronage: government jobs are given for political support: political machine

PROBLEMS OF BIG CITIES Limited financial resources, Shrinking of the tax base Cities levy sales taxes, income taxes Suburbanization-well-to –do move out to suburbs Gentrification: well-to-do move back to remodeled city center, skid row, loft