1. Chapter 12
Local Government

2. Essential Questions How are powers of local governments defined?
What kinds of services do local governments provide?
How do local governments both cooperate and conflict with other levels of government?

3. Types of Local Government
Counties
Oldest form of local government
Made to carry out laws in rural areas
Governed by county boards: a group of people who manage the business of an organization
3-5 members (commissioners) set up programs and pass ordinances: local laws
Share power with other boards (hospital, library)

4. Types of Local Government
Townships
Used in places with large rural populations (away from cities)
Set up schools, repair roads

5. Types of Local Government
New England Towns
Called “the town”
Started by building villages with homes, a church, a school, and farmland.
Voters met to pass laws, set taxes, set budget
Closest thing to direct democracy in U.S.
Have duties like counties in other regions

6. Types of Local Government
Special District
Generally provides a single service for multiple communities
EX: subways, parks, protect from fires, control insects

7. Types of Local Government
Cities
Municipality: a government that serves people who live in an urban area
Municipalities with large populations = cities
Municipalities with small populations = towns
Powers are set by the state government
Follow 1 of 3 plans

8. Types of Local Government
Plan 1: The Mayor-Council Plan
Weak vs. Strong Mayor Plan
Mayor – Executive
Council – Legislative Branch

9. Weak Mayor Plan Weak Mayor: Council holds power
Elected by the people and acts as legislative and executive branch.
Mayor chosen from council members
Council chooses officials, makes ordinances, and controls budget

10. Strong Mayor Plan Strong Mayor: Mayor holds the power
Mayor and council are like the President and Congress
Council: makes ordinances
Mayor: elected by voters, in charge of the budget, makes policies, and chooses city officials

11. Types of Local Government
Plan 2: The Council-Manager Plan
History: “Machines” = Corruption
Run government like a business
Council: makes ordinances
Manager: prepares budget, in charge of people working for the city
Manager is not elected = free from political pressure

12. Types of Local Government
Plan 3: The Commission Plan
Group of Commissioners make ordinances together and direct one city department each
Problem:
No single leader to control budget or make departments work together.

13. Services: Education Most $ spent here
Elementary – High school (some 2 yr. colleges)
Local school boards build schools and hire teachers/staff. Strong say in what is taught
State government – make sure state standards are met (provide funding)
Federal government – helps pay for buildings, school lunch programs, and programs for children with special needs

14. Services: Health and Welfare
Provide health and childcare to families in need of extra assistance
Train people for new careers, provide low-cost places to live
Inspect restaurants, markets, hotels, and water to make sure state/federal standards are met

15. Services: Public Safety
Emergency = 9-1-1
Police and firefighters also help in non- emergencies
Teach citizens to prevent break-ins
Fire safety codes (fire hazards, faulty wiring)
Local govn’t hires people to make sure buildings are made to code (new buildings)

16. Utilities
Utilities: services needed by the public, such as water, gas, electricity, sewage treatment plants, and garbage collection
Utilities are provided at the local level to meet specific community needs. State or federal govn’ts would not be equipped to do this.

17. Land Use
Zoning: local rules that divide a community into areas and tell how the land in each area is to be used (Example?)
Considerations:
Who will use the park, what does the park need?
Will a new road bring too much traffic downtown?
Is there enough low-income housing?
How does the development affect the environment?

18. Land Use Planning Process:
Local government appoints a planning commission to set goals and get information about the community
Commission works with a staff and looks into requests from builders/read reports
Staff gives their opinion, Commission decides what to do, plans are given to city council for final decision.

19. Paying for Services Taxes: Property Tax: a tax on land and buildings
Sales Tax

20. Paying for Services Money also comes from:
inspecting buildings
bridge tolls
park entrance fees
parking meters
Government run businesses (parking garage)
Borrow from banks for big projects (bonds)
Grant money from state/federal government
Generally the services needed are greater than the money available in the community

21. Cooperation & Conflict: Local vs. Local
Work together because the services would cost too much for one community to provide
A county may build a jail, or hospital for several towns
Conflict:
Economics – communities compete to attract new businesses
Compete for federal money
Zoning for factories, but pollution enters neighboring city.

22. Cooperation & Conflict: Local vs. State
Work together to solve problems (EX: building a park over a garbage dump)
Local governments carry out state programs
State helps with local finance, law enforcement, health and education
States license local government workers (public school teachers, doctors at public hospitals)
Conflict:
Disagreements on how money should be spent (Sewage plant: city wants one way, local governments wants a cheaper system)
State law almost always wins

23. Cooperation & Conflict: Local vs. State vs. National
Clean and stop pollution in the groundwater, lakes, and rivers across the nation
FBI and local law enforcement work together for certain crimes/training/records
Local problems are brought to national attention
Conflict:
Spending of grant money (national goal does not meet local needs)
States decide which local governments receive the money