Local Government Local Government Has the most direct

Local Government

Local Government • Has the most direct impact on our lives • State gives it permission to exist • City and Village Government. Creatures of Michigan Legislature Local governments are considered agents of the state - carry out functions and duties of state government - extension of state government • Local units have restrictive constitutional power (can do things that only effect them)

County Government • Counties are the oldest unit of local government • Distance to the county seat set the boundaries for each county (i. e. - Mt. Clemens is county seat for Macomb county because a wagon ride away)

County Government • Major unit of government below the state • U. S. counties employ approximately 2 million people for day-to-day work • Structure of counties: • Governing Board • Elected Officials (Ex. Sheriff), garbage, police, water, roads • Board- group of people manage the business of an organization

County government • Local Government in Michigan General purpose governments • Counties (83) • Townships (1, 242) • 1, 118 general law • 124 charter townships • Cities (271) • Villages (259)

Township Government • Subdivision of county • Usually Rural • Structure • County but smaller • Function • roads, parks, zoning, services to people

Special Districts • Independent units created to perform one job at the local level • Can cross county or city lines • Examples: • School District • Water District

Local government Local Government in Michigan (cont) Special Purpose Governments • K-12 School Districts (557) • Intermediate School Districts (57) • Community College Districts (28) • Authorities (300) • Fire, Police, Ambulance, Sewer, Water, Downtown Development, Airport, Harbor

County govenment • Primary Local Units - Townships and Cities Shared duties required by State • Assessing property- for buying or selling house, land • Collecting property taxes for the county, township or city, and schools • State education tax • Conducting elections (county, state and national elections) • Making laws or ordinances- that’s why laws are different in certain places

City Government • Charter is the city’s basic law or constitution • Unicameral- one elected body • Typically Nonpartisan- not fully affiliated with one party( democrat or republican • 3 Main Structures

Strong Mayor Council: • Voters elect mayor and council • Mayor Appoints Dept. Heads • Mayor Has Veto Power over City Council • Large Cities

Weak Mayor Council • Voters elect mayor and council • City Council hires administrators • Mayor has no veto power • Represents City • Ex: Sterling Heights, Warren

Council Manager • • Voters elect a council Council hires a Manager hires the administrators Found in Suburbs- Chesterfield, Shelby Township

City Government • • Provide Services Police/Fire Protection Street Maintenance Sewer and Water Parks and Recreation Can own businesses Employ Millions throughout U. S.

City government • Cities boundaries are set by state • This explains why Detroit is so big compared to other major cities

City government • Political machines- cities who set their government up to get reelected. • They do favors for the person in power and in return the person in power helps them out by giving them contracts for city work (i. e. corruption) • Kwame Kilpatrick- former mayor of Detroit

Financing State and Local • Sales Taxes (Regressive Tax)- stays the same • Income Taxes (Progressive Tax)- changes with income • Property Taxes- pay to schools, roads etc. • License Fees- to build, tear down • Borrowing • Must “Balance the Books” unlike Congress • Use of parking fines, tolls • Bonds- cities will sell bonds (you give $1000, they pay you back $1200 in 10 years

Local government • Local governemnt provides Utilities • Utilities- services needed by Public • Local government provides services and builds things with revenue collected

Local governemnt • Skateboarding is a problem in Downtown Mt. Clemens. • City decides to build a skate park so skateboarders aren’t using public places to skate • They ban skateboarding in downtown (ordinace-local law) • This is known as public policy- (effects people)

Local government Education: Cities regulate schools by how much taxes they collect (i. e. L’Anse Creuse versus Detroit Public) more taxes collected better schools built • Determine what is best for schools • Fraser has I-pads, LC does not

Local government • Cities monitor health and public safety • Health inspector- food, motels, are monitored for safety • Safety- Police, Fire, 911 service • Water and sewage treatment • Welfare- Jobcorps, manpower, low income housing

Zoning laws • Each town or city has to divide area by zones • Zoning local rules that divide a community into areas and tell how land can be used (i. e. - factories, houses, malls)

Grants • Cities will get state and federal grants (money specifically for something) to update roads, schools, and buildings • Examples: • NSA- airports • “No child left behind”- federal government gives money to schools who perform better on tests, take away money if they do worse