1. Local Government

2. Local Government Has the most direct impact on our lives
State gives it permission to exist
City and Village Government- Creatures of Michigan Legislature Local governments are considered agents of the state - carry out functions and duties of state government - extension of state government
Local units have restrictive constitutional power (can do things that only effect them)

3. County Government Counties are the oldest unit of local government
Distance to the county seat set the boundaries for each county (i.e.- Mt. Clemens is county seat for Macomb county because a wagon ride away)

4. County Government Major unit of government below the state
U.S. counties employ approximately 2 million people for day-to-day work
Structure of counties:
Governing Board
Elected Officials (Ex. Sheriff), garbage, police, water, roads
Board- group of people manage the business of an organization

5. County government
Local Government in Michigan General purpose governments
Counties (83)
Townships (1,242)
1,118 general law
124 charter townships
Cities (271)
Villages (259)

6. Township Government Subdivision of county Usually Rural Structure
County but smaller
Function
roads, parks, zoning, services to people

7. Special Districts
Independent units created to perform one job at the local level
Can cross county or city lines
Examples:
School District
Water District

8. Local government
Local Government in Michigan (cont) Special Purpose Governments
K-12 School Districts (557)
Intermediate School Districts (57)
Community College Districts (28)
Authorities (300)
Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sewer, Water, Downtown Development, Airport, Harbor

9. County govenment
Primary Local Units - Townships and Cities Shared duties required by State
Assessing property- for buying or selling house, land
Collecting property taxes for the county, township or city, and schools
State education tax
Conducting elections (county, state and national elections)
Making laws or ordinances- that’s why laws are different in certain places

10. City Government Charter is the city’s basic law or constitution
Unicameral- one elected body
Typically Nonpartisan- not fully affiliated with one party( democrat or republican
3 Main Structures

11. Strong Mayor Council: Voters elect mayor and council
Mayor Appoints Dept. Heads
Mayor Has Veto Power over City Council
Large Cities

12. Weak Mayor Council Voters elect mayor and council
City Council hires administrators
Mayor has no veto power
Represents City
Ex: Sterling Heights, Warren

13. Council Manager Voters elect a council Council hires a Manager
Manager hires the administrators
Found in Suburbs- Chesterfield, Shelby Township

14. City Government Provide Services Police/Fire Protection
Street Maintenance
Sewer and Water
Parks and Recreation
Can own businesses
Employ Millions throughout U.S.

15. City government Cities boundaries are set by state
This explains why Detroit is so big compared to other major cities

16. City government
Political machines- cities who set their government up to get re-elected.
They do favors for the person in power and in return the person in power helps them out by giving them contracts for city work (i.e.- corruption)
Kwame Kilpatrick- former mayor of Detroit

17. Financing State and Local
Sales Taxes (Regressive Tax)- stays the same
Income Taxes (Progressive Tax)- changes with income
Property Taxes- pay to schools, roads etc.
License Fees- to build, tear down
Borrowing
Must “Balance the Books” unlike Congress
Use of parking fines, tolls
Bonds- cities will sell bonds (you give $1000, they pay you back $1200 in 10 years

18. Local government Local governemnt provides Utilities
Utilities- services needed by Public
Local government provides services and builds things with revenue collected

19. Local governemnt Skateboarding is a problem in Downtown Mt. Clemens.
City decides to build a skate park so skateboarders aren’t using public places to skate
They ban skateboarding in downtown (ordinace-local law)
This is known as public policy- (effects people)

20. Local government
Education: Cities regulate schools by how much taxes they collect (i.e. L’Anse Creuse versus Detroit Public) more taxes collected better schools built
Determine what is best for schools
Fraser has I-pads, LC does not

21. Local government Cities monitor health and public safety
Health inspector- food, motels, are monitored for safety
Safety- Police, Fire, 911 service
Water and sewage treatment
Welfare- Jobcorps, manpower, low income housing

22. Zoning laws Each town or city has to divide area by zones
Zoning local rules that divide a community into areas and tell how land can be used (i.e.- factories, houses, malls)

23. Grants
Cities will get state and federal grants (money specifically for something) to update roads, schools, and buildings
Examples:
NSA- airports
“No child left behind”- federal government gives money to schools who perform better on tests, take away money if they do worse