State and Local Government Local Government ~~~~~ City Government Chapter Nine State and Local Government Local Government ~~~~~ City Government

Cities cities city governments are established by and receive charters larger than towns or villages New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, have millions of residents population often crowded into a relatively small area must manage a variety of challenges and problems education, health, and safety must operate hundreds of services daily transportation systems, sanitation, water supply, fire and police protection city governments are established by and receive charters from state legislatures some states have been granting to cities an authority referred to as home rule city can write and amend its own municipal charter written by a commission and must be approved by voters cannot conflict with the state constitution or with the U.S. Constitution gives cities the power to manage their own affairs and to deal with their own local problems

Types of City Government city government takes one of three forms depending on its charter mayor-council government commission government council-manager government

Mayor-Council City Government mayor-council system oldest and most common form of city government lawmaking body is called the city council chief executive is the mayor sees that ordinances, or city laws, are enforced mayor and city council members elected by city voters usually to terms of either two or four years in length city is divided into several districts called wards people who live in each ward elect one person to represent them in the city council several council members at large are elected by all the voters in the city most city councils are unicameral other elected city officials treasurer, judges of the municipal courts, tax assessors, city attorney or solicitor other city officials - elected or appointed heads of departments for fire fighting, police, health and welfare, housing, parks and playgrounds, traffic, water

Mayor-Council City Government weak-mayor plan reaction to colonial period limit the power of city officials city council holds more power than the mayor council appoints the heads of city departments who report directly to the council mayor must obtain the consent of the council before spending money or taking other actions often results in conflicts between the mayor and the council strong-mayor plan more efficient mayor has chief responsibility for running the city's government appoints most of the city officials can dismiss them if they do not do a good job can veto bills passed by the council must draw up the city budget council must approve the budget must ensure that the city's money is spent properly

Commission City Government commission plan introduced in Galveston, Texas, around 1900 devastating hurricane destroyed the town city is governed by a group of three to nine elected officials acts as the city's lawmaking and executive body passes all city ordinances each commissioner heads a department of city government public safety public works police and firefighters water and streets finances public welfare tax collections help disadvantaged citizens health hospitals, clinics, health inspectors commissioners meet as a group to make the city's laws each commissioner carries out the laws that apply to his department citizens or the commissioners choose one of the commissioners to be mayor and preside over meetings of the commission disadvantages voters may find it difficult to elect officials who know how to run a city department commissioners may disagree about who should manage activities that fall under the jurisdiction of different departments

Council-Manager City Government council-manager plan first set up in 1912 in Sumter, South Carolina growing number of cities use this plan of government today city is run much like a big business firm employs specially trained professionals to handle city affairs voters elect a city council to act as the city's lawmaking body council appoints a city manager serves as chief executive appoints the heads of the city departments they report directly to the city manager may also remove department heads from office advantages managers are appointed, not elected they will not take part in party politics or face any political pressure given freedom to run city governments efficiently and economically may be dismissed and replaced if they don’t do a good job disadvantages some smaller cities can’t afford the salary to hire a good manager cities may be better governed when the officials are directly accountable to the voters who elect them