THE POLITICAL SYTEM THE POLITICAL SYTEM OF THE UNITED STATESOF THE UNITED STATES

LECTURE 10LOCAL GOVERNMENT

FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Similar functions as state government, emphasis on local services

Exclusive functions: record keeping (birth certificates, marriage licenses, property deeds)

Regulating local activities: door to door sales, zoning: use of public area for business use (establishment of pubs, bars is prohibited near schools) Setting residential, industrial zones

FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Public education:establishment of school districts

Functions performed by local and state governments together:

Building and maintaining hospitalsMaintaining roads and streetsProvide recreational facilitiesProtect natural resources

SOURCE OF FINANCINGSOURCE OF FINANCING

Property tax : based on assessed value (fraction of the market value)

Tax on homeowners and owners of business properties

Taxpayers’ revolt: Proposition 13, 1970’sLimited income for local governmentDirect democracyInitiative, referendum, recallPetition, ballot people make law, bottom up

process

Referendum government asks people about a potential law, top down process

Recall: removal of elected officialWORKS ONLY AT THE STATE OR LOCAL

LEVEL, NOT ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL

COUNTY GOVERNMENTSCOUNTY GOVERNMENTS

Units of local government except inLouisiana: parishes, Alaska: boroughsOrigin of counties: English history (shires,

shire reeve—sheriffCounties were organized in rural areasLargest size county: San BernardinoCenter: county seat

COUNTY OFFICIALSCOUNTY OFFICIALS

Counties are generally governed by elected officials

Governing organization: Board of Supervisors, Board of Commissioners

County boards have legislative and executive powers

Main legislative power: setting taxes, zoning, regulating places of entertainment

COUNTY GOVERNMENTCOUNTY GOVERNMENT

Executive function: supervising departments carrying out county regulations

County clerk: keeps records (births, deaths, marriages)

County treasurer: taking in and paying out money

County assessor: determining the value of all property found in the county

County coroner, (forensic expert, coroner’s quest) law enforcement officials Sheriff’s Department

CITY GOVERNMENTCITY GOVERNMENT

Originally rural nation, formation of cities in the second half of the nineteenth century

Factors behind urbanization: American Industrial Revolution, arrival of immigrants, automobile industry, suburbanization, public transportation, cast iron construction,elevator, department store

State issues a charter to the city Charter: plan of government authorized by

the state legislature for the city

TYPES OF CITY GOVERNMENTTYPES OF CITY GOVERNMENT

Mayor-councilMost common typeVoters elect both a mayor and a councilCouncil exercises legislative power, passes city laws:

ordinances sets local taxesMayor: chief executive of the cityStrong mayor system: appoints heads of depts.most

common in large cities: Richard J. Daley in ChicagoPolitical machine: a party stays in power in return foreconomic favours (buying votes)Weak mayor system: limited powers, found in small

cities except Los Angeles, Tom Bradley-Los Angeles

COMMISSION FORM OF COMMISSION FORM OF GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Each city department head is electedDepartment heads together form the

commissionBecame popular after the hurricane in

1901 in Galveston, Texas. Weak mayor city government was unable to handle the problem

COUNCIL-MANAGER SYSTEMCOUNCIL-MANAGER SYSTEM

Members of city council are elected and they hire a city manager

Professional manager, similar to a CEO of a corporation

Came to life to struggle against political corruption, the boss system, patronage: government jobs are given for political support: political machine

PROBLEMS OF BIG CITIESPROBLEMS OF BIG CITIES

Limited financial resources, Shrinking of the tax baseCities levy sales taxes, income taxesSuburbanization-well-to –do move out to

suburbsGentrification: well-to-do move back to

remodeled city center, skid row, loft