Local Government

& Civic Responsibility

What is Federalism?A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and smaller units (states, counties, and cities)

Federal/National Government

State Governments

Local Governments

Local Government

County Government ◎Major unit below the states◎Employ over 3 million people

What county do you live in?

￭ Transportation & Infrastructure: Roads, Bridges, Public Transportation￭ Community Health: Hospitals & Wellness programs￭ Justice & Public Safety: County Jails, Judges, Court House, Sheriffs￭ County Management: Birth Certificates, Marriage Licenses, 911 Call Centers, Parks/Rec, Elections

What do Counties Do?

City Government ◎Has the most direct impact

on our lives◎Under the direction of the

state

￭ Represent Citizens & Businesses￭ Taxation & Budgeting￭ Police/Fire Protection￭ Street Maintenance￭ Sewer, Water, and Waste￭ Parks and Recreation￭ Education

What do Cities Do?

￭ Sales Taxes ￭ Income Taxes￭ Property Taxes￭ Borrowing￭Must “Balance the Books” unlike Congress

Where does the money come from?

Civic Responsibility

Mandatory￭ Obeying Laws￭ Register for the Draft￭ Paying Taxes￭ Serving on a Jury￭ Serve as a Witness

Voluntary￭ Voting￭ Join the Military￭ Informed on Current Events￭ Run for Election￭ Cooperative Citizen￭ Participating in Political Campaigns￭ Petitioning Government￭ Defending opinions

Character Traits

￭ Trustworthy & Honest￭ Courteous & Respectful￭ responsible, Accountable, and Self-reliant￭ Informed￭ Respectful of differing opinions￭ Patriotic￭ Participate in school or local government in some way