How to Understand Local Government

Most of us do not live in a large city that has a solid cadre of professional politicians to run it. We live in a small or medium-sized city that depends on people who volunteer a few years at a time to help make decisions that affect the people who live there every day. The majority of these volunteer officials finance their own campaigns and collect enough "salary" to cover what it costs them to do the job. Most have full-time jobs or professions and consider their government positions as public service. In order to begin to understand local government, we have to realize that it's not just one unit of government but many. In addition to the obvious functions of budgeting and policy-setting, each unit has unique responsiblities to its citizens.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

How to Identify Local Governments

1. Municipal--city, town or village governments provide fire, police and, frequently, emergency medical services. They fix our streets, provide clean water and dispose of waste water. Most have operating committees, boards and commissions to deal with specific issues in city government. Some of these, like fire and police commissions and boards of appeal, operate as "quasi-judicial" bodies, making decisions and settling disputes independently of the main council.
2. School--If you don't have children or yours don't attend public schools, you still have a stake in your local schools. In most places, the majority of kids do attend a public school and it benefits us as taxpayers to have them educated properly. Also, a good school system attracts business, industry and the type of commercial development that makes a good tax base--which benefits the entire community. School boards have numerous operating and ad hoc committees that deal with everything from curriculum to staffing to physical plant issues.
3. Special units--depending on where you live, your state constitution determines whether specific services like libraries, water utilities, special education and other services are set up. These services may be part of city government or may be stand-alone districts that cover areas that cross or exceed municipal boundaries.
4. Counties--In some states these are local units of government and in some they are extensions of the state. Either way, elections and appointments are usually a choice between people who know each other or live in fairly close proximity. Counties usually have an elected board of supervisors and an array of committees and commissions. Committees cover such diverse areas as law enforcement, humane shelters and tourism.

How Can You Serve?

5. Appointed boards, commissions and committees. From the ad hoc committee to plan the public water park to the county planning committee, volunteers form the backbone of local government. Most are appointed by an executive officer like the mayor or board president for a fixed term from a year to the term of the executive. The people who serve should bring their common sense and life experience to the table. They give elected decision makers the ideas and sense of the community with which to set policy.
6. Elected positions on city council, town, village or special unit board. Most of these decision makers have some area of expertise, be it business, agriculture or trade that helps them make sensible decisions. These bodies set policy and make rules for the entire community based on input from staff and committees.

Tips & Warnings

• The National League of Cities has a website that contains information about cities and provides links to many member city web sites.
• You can find more information about municipal governments in your state by using keywords municipal league and the name of your state in your search.
• Very few volunteer officials have a lot of time to spend doing these jobs and depend on professional staff such as city managers, city clerks or administrators or department heads to provide them with reliable information upon which to base their decisions. As they become more experienced, they should depend on these professionals less for advice and more for technical expertise.
• Don't think you have to be a businessperson to contribute. Business skills are important for issues concerning finance or contractor negotiations but the vast majority of your job as a local official is listening--to people, opponents and advocates--and making the best possible decision not only for your own constituency but for the community at large.
• Volunteer officials are doing their jobs on a part time basis and they may be hard to find sometimes. Be patient and persistent and you'll find them.
• Very few volunteer officials have a lot of time to spend doing these jobs and depend on professional staff such as city managers, city clerks or administrators or department heads to provide them with reliable information upon which to base their decisions. As they become more experienced, they should depend on these professionals less for advice and more for technical expertise.