Local Government Flashcards
Municipalities
Political jurisdictions, such as cities, villages, or towns, incorporated under state law to provide governance to defined geographical areas; more compact and more densely populated than counties
Counties
Geographical subdivisions of state government
Special Districts
Single-purpose governments - usually are created to provide specific public services rather than a range of services (example: school districts)
County Commission System
A form of county governance in which executive, legislative, and administrative powers are vested in elected commissioners
Council-Executive System
A form of county governance in which legislative powers are vested in a county commission and executive powers are vested in an independently elected executive
Commission-Administrator System
A form of county governance in which executive and legislative powers reside with an elected commission, which hires a professional executive to manage the day to day operations of government
Cities
Incorporated political jurisdictions formed to provide self-governance to particular localities
Townships
Local government whose powers, governance, structure, and legal status vary considerably from state to state
Mayor
The elected chief executive of a municipality
City Council
A municipality’s legislature
City Manager
An official appointed to be the chief administrator of a municipality
Mayor-Council System
A form of municipal governance in which there is an elected executive and an elected legislature
Council-Manager System
A form of municipal governance in which the day to day administration of government is carried out by a professional administrator
Commission System
A form of municipal governance in which executive, legislative, and administrative powers are vested in elected city commissioners
Town Meetings
A form of governance in which legislative powers are held by the local citizens
