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Do local governments have legal independence?
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Does the Constitution address the formation of local governments?
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Chapter 12 Section 1
City Government
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do local governments have legal independence? | No |
| Does the Constitution address the formation of local governments? | No |
| What exactly establishes the powers and duties of local governments? | State constitutions |
| What is a municipality? | An "incorporated" place |
| What does incorporated mean? | A locality within an officially organized government that provides services to residents |
| How does a community incorporate itself? | The community must apply to the state legislature for a city charter. |
| What is a city charter? | A document that grants power to a local government. It is like a constitution. It describes the type of city government, its structure and its powers |
| What is home rule? | Home rule allows cities to write their own charters, choose their own type of government and manage their own affairs |
| Do cities that have home rule still have to follow state laws? | Yes |
| What are the three forms of municipal governments? | 1. mayor-council form 2. commission form 3. council-manager form |
| What form of government do most large cities use today? | mayor-council form |
| How is power divided in the mayor-council form of government? | Executive power belongs to the mayor, and legislative power belongs to the council |
| Voters elect a mayor, do the voters also elect the city council members? | Yes |
| How are the heads of departments (such as police, fire, planning, public works) selected. | The mayor appoints the department heads. |
| What are ordinances? | City laws |
| What body is responsible for passing ordinances? | City council |
| What body approves the city budget? | City council |
| Some cities are divided into voting districts called _______. | Wards |
| Each ward elects a representative to city council, but in some cities some, or all, of the council members are known as members-at-large. What does member-at-large mean? | The representatives are elected by the entire city. |
| What are the two types of mayor-council governments? | 1. strong-mayor 2. weak-mayor |
| What kind of powers does a mayor have in a strong-mayor government? | 1. Power to veto ordinances city council passes. 2. Appoints city officials 3. Writes city budget |
| Why do strong mayors tend to dominate, or control, their city government? | A strong-mayor usually works full-time, but city council members are usually part-time. And, because city council members are elected by by wards, they focus on issues that are important to their parts of town. |
| In a weak-mayor system, who makes policy decisions and appoints department heads? | City council |
| What does the mayor do in a weak-mayor system? | Presides over council meetings, but votes only in the case of a tie |
| How did the weak-mayor system originate? | The colonists remembered suffering injustices under British government, so they were reluctant to give any official too much power. |
| The success of a weak-mayor government depends on what? | Cooperation of the mayor and the council |
| In the council-manager form of government, who appoints the manager? | The city council |
| What responsibilities does a manager have in the council-manager form of government? | Recommends a budget, oversees city departments and deals with personnel issues. |
| What is the advantage of having "at-large" elections of council members and managers? | The candidates must consider the interests of, and appeal to, voters citywide, instead of only looking out for the concerns of their own neighborhoods |
| When did the manager-council form of government first appear? | 1912 |
| Why did the manager-council form of government come about? | It was seen as a way to reform corrupt or inefficient mayor-council governments |
| What is a commission government? | A board of commissioners. No separation of executive & legislative powers. Separate departments govern the city. Department heads are elected |
| The department heads are called _______. | Commissioners |
| What are drawbacks of commission form of government? | No clear leadership. Commissions often unable to set and meet goals. Each commissioner likely to focus on his/her department rather than the city as a whole |
| What is a special district? | A unit of government that deals with a specific function, such a school district |
| Who runs a special district? | A board or commission may be elected or appointed to run a special district |
| What is a metropolitan area? | A central city and its surrounding suburbs |
| What is a suburb? | A community near or around a city |
| What is a Metropolitan Statistical Area? | A central city and its suburbs with a combined population of 50,000 or more |
| What are some of the issues facing metropolitan areas? | Transportation, pollution, law enforcement, land management |
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