Chapter 11

1. Chapter 11
Local Government

2. Why should we care about
local government?
• Role of local governments
– Service provider
– Citizen contact
– Reflection of political culture
– Autonomy

3. Types of local government
• Counties
• Municipalities
• Special districts

4. Organizing local government:
counties
• Counties and unincorporated communities
• Counties vs. cities
• Explaining county variance
• Structure
– Commission
– Council-executive
– Commission-administrator

5. Municipalities
• Cities
• Townships

6. Municipal governance
• Mayor-council systems
• Commission systems
• City manager systems
• Town meeting
• Special districts

7. Mayor-council systems
• Most common
• Strong mayor systems
• Weak mayor systems

8. Commission systems
• Convergence of executive and legislative
power
• Independent commissioners
• Expanded policymaking authority

9. Council-manager systems
• Nonpartisan
• Indirect popular accountability
• City manager power

10. Special districts
• School districts
• Annexation

11. Local governmental authority
• Dillon’s Rule
• Home rule
• Charters
– General act charters
– Special act charters

12. Local governmental
participation
• Ward/district elections
• At-large elections
• Local officeholder demographics

13. The road ahead
• Local governments are evolving
• Great Recession
– Plunging sales
– Lowered property taxes
• New ‘business norm’

14. Conclusion
• Government closest to home
– Reflects local desires
– Day-to-day contact with citizenry
• Constrained
– Dillon’s rule
– Structural limitations
– Economic limitations