LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Objectives
• Analyze the forms, structure, powers and
roles of local government
• Special districts, governance funding and
purpose (e.g., school, sanitation, water,
fire, library, community college)
• Mayor, council, city manager, and other
city officials (Strong v Weak)
• Answer the question “what is my role in
local government”
Arizona Constitution
Counties & Municipalities
• State constitution includes provisions
Municipal (local) governments
• Basic principles regarding County
governments are found in Article 12 of the
Arizona Constitution
• Current laws regarding Arizona counties
are contained in Title 11 of the Arizona
Revised Statutes
Counties
• Arizona ranks 40th in number of local
governments.
• 645 (as of 2007)
• Of the aforementioned 15 are county
governments
• There are no areas in Arizona lacking
county government.
• The county governing body is called the
“Board of supervisors”
• http://www.census.gov/govs/www/
Cities & Towns
• Currently 90 incorporated municipal
governments (cities and towns) in Arizona
• Provide a wide variety of direct services.
• Basic principles of these municipal
governments are found in Article 13 of the
Arizona Constitution.
• Current laws regarding Arizona cities and
towns are found in Title 9 of the Arizona
Revised Statutes.
Cities & Towns
• Municipal governments in Arizona include
cities and towns.
• There are no significant differences in
population, legal powers, or status
between city and town governments
• Minimum population requirement for
incorporation is 1,500.
Special Districts
• Many different types of special districts
• Special districts deal with only one thing
• Special districts in Arizona are considered
governments all 301!!
• Examples: Agriculture Preservation
Districts, Fire Districts, Community Park
Maintenance Districts Encompassing an
Area of 160 Acres or more
Special Districts
• Flood Protection Districts, Drainage
Districts, Groundwater Replenishment
Districts, Electrical Districts, Health
Service Districts, Pest Abatement Districts,
Pest Control Districts, Sanitary Districts
Encompassing an Area of 160 Acres or
More…
• I think you get the idea, however
Issues with Special Districts
• Each District or governing body tends to
look at problems from its own narrow,
partial perspective.
• As a result, local bodies fail to cooperate
with one another and plan effectively for
the region's future needs.
• Many believe this fragmented nature of
local governments leads to racial and
class inequalities.
Issues (cont)
• On a brighter note
• Council of governments (COG) exists
where officials from various localities meet
to discuss mutual problems and plan joint,
cooperative action.
• The reality
• COG’s are often formally very weak, under
funded, poorly staffed, and lacking in any
real legislative or taxing power.
Moving Up the Food Chain
3 Basic Forms of Municipal
Government
• Council Manager
• Newest of the three major forms of city
government
• Council-manager used by cities of all sizes
• Most popular form in cities of more than 10,000
population.
• This form operates with a city council as a policy
body and a city manager as the chief executiveadministrative officer of city government.
• Degrees in public or business administration.
Council Manager (cont)
• In the council-manager form of
government, the council is the governing
body of the city
• Council is elected by the public, and the
manager is hired by council
• Managers mandate is to carry out the
policies it (council) establishes.
• The council usually consists of five to nine
members including a mayor (or council
president)
Council Manager (cont)
• Members either selected by the council or
elected by the people as defined in the city
charter.
• The size of the council is generally smaller
than that of a mayor-council municipality,
• Council elections are usually nonpartisan.
• How many members are Tucson’s city
council?
Council Manager (cont)
• The council provides legislative direction
• Manager is responsible for day-to-day
administrative operation of the city
• This is based on the council’s
recommendations
• The mayor and council as a collegial body
are responsible for setting policy,
approving the budget, and determining the
tax rate.
Council Manager (cont)
• The manager serves as the council’s chief
advisor.
• Managers also serve at the pleasure of the
council and are responsible for preparing the
budget, directing day-to-day operations, and
hiring and firing personnel.
• Typically, the mayor is recognized as the political
head of the municipality,
• However he/she is a member of the legislative
body and does not have the power to veto
legislative actions.
Organization
• Mayor
• Council
• Manager
• Department Heads
Mayor-Council/Council-Mayor
Weak versus Strong
• Let us start with the weak
• Council/Mayor
• Council possesses both legislative and
executive authority
• Council may appoint officials
• Council must approve mayoral
nominations
• Council also exercises primary control
over municipal budget
Mayor-Council/Council-Mayor
Weak versus Strong
• Though mayor is elected has very little
political power
• (mayor) less independent under this form
• Mainly ceremonial in nature
• May even be a member of the council
• The weak-mayor plan is a product of
Jacksonian democracy
• Few powers combined with many checks
results in relatively little damage
Mayor-Council/Council-Mayor
Weak versus Strong
• Most often used in small towns
• Variation of the city commission
government
• Introduced by the British in India
• Used in Provincial government
• Commissioner had same powers as
district officer and other local authorities
Mayor-Council/Council-Mayor
Weak versus Strong
• Known as the strong mayor or executive
form
• Consists of a popularly elected executive
branch and legislative branch
• Translation city mayor and city council
• Unicameral system
• Define the above
Mayor-Council/Council-Mayor
Weak versus Strong
• In the strong form the mayor is given
almost total administrative authority
• Also very wide range of political
independence.
• Has power to appoint and dismiss
department heads without council input
• So what about the citizenry?
Mayor-Council/Council-Mayor
Weak versus Strong
• Mayor prepares and administers the
budget
• City Council often has to approve the
budget
• Strong mayor government, mayor appoints
Chief Administrative Office (CAO)
• CAO supervises Department Heads,
prepare the budget and coordinates
department functions
Mayor-Council/Council-Mayor
Weak versus Strong
• CAO often referred to as city manager
• City manager responsible only to mayor
• Most major US cities use the strong form
of the mayor-council system
Structure of Mayor/Council
The Mayor-Council Form
Voters
Mayor/Council
Department Heads
STATE AND LOCAL FINANCE
POLICY
• State and local governments are a
confusing array of responsibilities,
revenues, and budgets.
• Due primarily to different ways states and
local governments allocate functional
responsibilities among local governments.
• Lets look at the state first
State Funding
• State government revenues are derived
from a variety of sources.
• Largest share of revenue (42.8 percent)
from taxes
• Primarily sales taxes, income taxes, and
motor vehicle and fuel taxes.
• Second largest source of state revenue is
aid from the federal government (almost
21.7 percent)
State Funding
• Next from state insurance programs
(approximately 21.2 percent).
• Other sources of income: charges for
services, state-operated liquor stores,
utilities, payments from local governments,
and a number of miscellaneous sources.
State Funding
• Nearly 50 percent of state money goes to
operate state programs
• Construct state buildings, direct assistance to
individuals
• Approximately 30 percent is allocated as aid to
local governments.
• Local governments allocated the bulk of their
money to education (about 38 percent)
• So what about Prop 100
• Followed by health and social services (about 13
percent), and public safety (about 9 percent).
Finishing Up
• States have been willing to decentralize
their governing arrangement
• Why you ask
• This allows for the creation of grass rootsoriented local governments.
• The purpose of this is to address citizens'
policy demands. (Unless you live in a
Republic)
Interesting Quote
• “The very existence of so many
governments to handle so many different
and needed services speaks to the health
of democracy.”
Pearson
• Yet state and local politics are not perfectly
democratic: there is poor coverage in the
media; there are low levels of citizen
participation; business interests have
substantial leverage in state and city
affairs; and term limits can also have
undemocratic aspects.
Back to the Wrap-up
• Yet state and local politics are not perfectly
democratic
• Why you ask??
• poor coverage in the media (duh)
• Low levels of citizen participation (duh)
• Business interests have substantial
leverage
• City affairs and term limits can also have
undemocratic aspects
Getting Closer to the End
• Growth in state and local government
employment has exceeded that of the
federal government for most of this
century (I am sure this will change NOT)
• Most of the growth tied to heightened
demands for more government programs.
Almost There
• State and local governments trying to
reorganize their government structures to
get more effective government and more
efficient use of taxpayers' dollars
• Unfortunately in most cases, this process
of reorganization has not resulted in
smaller government.
Done!!
• Most state and local governments now
experimenting with sunset legislation
• This would limit the scope of state
government.
• However, as demands for services have
grown, state and local governments have
also had to grow in order to meet new
challenges.
• Turns out to be a never ending challenge
NOW FOR STATE GOVERNMENT
• No big deal
• Remember that we have a Secretary of
state and of course the numbers that go
along with representation
DONE!!