Your town, your choice, your future
A unit of local government. Larger than a village but smaller than a city.
What is a town?
This is a unit of local government that is incorporated by the state and has a large decree of self-government.
What is a municipality?
Regulations that govern a local community. Local laws.
What are local ordinances?
Government where mayor has veto power, appoints city officials and has power over budget. New York City has this form of government.
What is a strong-mayor plan?
An elected official who usually commands several deputies and an office staff, and in many states are responsible for law enforcement only in the areas of the county that are not part of the city.
Who is the county sherriff?
A gathering where all citizens discuss the town's problems.
What is a town meeting?
The largest type of municipality.
What is a city.
An authority given to a city by that state that grants a city the power to make self-regulating, specific laws that are legal within state and federal law.
What is home rule?
Government where a mayor has equal vote with members of the council. Keeps one person from becoming too powerful.
What is a weak-mayor plan?
Federal funds given to state and local governments.
What are grants-in-aid?
These have been around since colonial times, during those times they were used for smaller New England towns.
What is a township?
A division of state government formed to carry out laws.
What is a county?
The legislative body of the city.
What is a city council?
Government in which each member of the commission is in charge of a different department. Mayor vote carries same power as commissioners’ votes.
What is a commission government?
A grant that must be for certain defined purposes.
A system of governance where citizens make policy decisions, pass laws, and act directly on issues themselves, rather than relying on elected representatives.
What is a direct democracy?
A basic plan for a local government unit that defines its powers, responsibilities, and organization.
What is a charter?
A city's chief executive officer.
Who is the mayor?
Government where Mayor leads politically and the manager directs the city’s day to day operations.
What is a council-mayor government?
A unit of government formed to meet many different needs, including fire protection, libraries, parks, and recreation centers, public transportation, and sewage disposal.
What is a special district?
Why is the number of towns and townships decreasing in the United States today?
Depopulation and out-migration with less in-migration, aging demographics, low economic growth and opportunity, and merging of local governments.
How is local government the closest level of government to citizens?
Because it is government organized at the community level and made to address daily needs of citizens, manage small areas where citizens live, and facilitiate direct citizen participation.
Why are home-rule and charters important for city governments?
Cities often have specific and unique needs that require tailored local ordinances in order to regulate daily life in a city-area. Ex. Dog sleds in Alaskan cities would not be needed in Florida cities.
Why is a strong-mayor plan a more efficient system of city government?
With a centralized authority, decisions are made faster making operations and ordinances quicker without approval of other powers. The mayor can also appoint or remove officials and approve the budget.
How does the government get money to provide services to US citizens and give them financial aide?
The government raises money for these things through taxation and borrowing.