1. Chapter Nine State and Local Government Local Government ~~~~~
Units of Local Government

3. Local Governments closest to your daily life
make rules that protect you and the people of your community
provide services that improve your life
manage your community's …
road system
water supply
school system
see their work all around you every day
have grown as the country has grown
as people settled in rural communities, towns, cities, and suburbs, they set up local governments

4. Establishing Local Governments
all established by and receive their powers from the state governments
state constitutions direct the state legislatures to set up a government for each village, town, city, and county within the state borders
municipalities
incorporated by the state - legal status of corporations
includes cities, towns, villages, and boroughs
have a large degree of self-government
may own property, make contracts, and sue or be sued in court
cities are largest municipality

5. Why We Need Local Government
main job of local governments
provide services for citizens
people depend on local government to serve them in many ways
roads, running water, sewage systems, sidewalks, street cleaning, snow removal, and trash collection
provide education, keep records, supply public transportation, recreation areas
services depend on a well-run local government
some services may be provided by privately owned companies
electricity and public transportation
ensure that these services are economical, efficient, and well managed

6. County Governments
states are divided into smaller parts called counties
highest level of local government
number and size of these counties vary from state to state
Texas has 254, Delaware has only 3, Ohio has 88
the U.S. has more than 3,000 counties
Louisiana calls its county-level units of government parishes
Alaska refers to its counties as boroughs
county governments serve two main purposes
help the state government collect various state taxes, supervise elections, and enforce state laws
serve the county residents by providing them with health and welfare services, law enforcement, libraries, roads, and schools
also serve as boundaries for court districts in many states
centrally located town with government offices = county seat
capital of a county

7. County Officials
the head of a county government is a group of elected officials
county board (board of commissioners, county court, or board of county supervisors)
county's legislative body - pass local laws regulating health and safety
may collect taxes on real estate or personal property in the county
supervises county buildings such as the courthouse and jail
county executive
elected by the voters
a county manager may be appointed by the county board
elected executive branch county officials
sheriff enforces the law
arrests lawbreakers and carries out the orders of the courts
clerk keeps a record of actions and decisions of county board
keeps records of births, deaths, election results, and marriages
treasurer takes care of the county's funds
sees that no money is spent unless the county board approves
auditor examines the official financial records
make sure all transactions are recorded properly
coroner investigates unnatural deaths
prosecutor represents the state government in county trials

8. Local and State Cooperation
local governments most receive charters from the state
basic plan defines its powers, responsibilities, and organization
like a constitution
local governments work closely with state governments
to make communities better places to live
local lawmaking bodies have the power to pass regulations that govern the community
ordinances
have force of a law but must not conflict with state and federal laws
local governments also enforce the laws that are passed by the state government
state governments rely on local governments to …
make sure that elections are carried out according to state rules
supervise the voting process
provide their communities with polling places
enforce laws that concern weights and measures
local inspectors
enforce state laws