CHAPTER XVII The Purposes and Organization of Local Governments "Let us hold fast the great truth that communities are responsible [have duties] as well as individuals." -Daniel Webster. We may well ask, what do the local governments do for the people? What are their purposes? How are they organized? Where do they get the authority to carry on their work? We shall now answer these questions. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SERVE US EVERY DAY We need pure water. Perhaps the water is brought many miles for our use by a department of our local government. We cook our meals with gas or electricity which is supplied by the local government or by a private company that is controlled by our local government. Public officers test the milk and food that we use in order to make certain that they are pure. We put our waste in cans and later it is taken away by persons hired by our city government. We ride to work on a bus, streetcar, or railroad that is owned or controlled by the public. If fire should break out in the building in which we work, there are firemen who stand ready to save our lives. These firemen are hired by the local government. Some officer of our local government helps us in some way in almost everything that we do. The general purpose of our local government is to provide the people with safe and better living conditions. Let us study this service carefully. 410-744 O 71 10 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GUARD THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE When large numbers of people live together in one place, it is necessary to guard their health. They need plenty of water. It must be tested to make certain it is pure. It should be supplied at as low a cost as possible. Our local governments help to care for sick and other persons who cannot care for themselves. They look after boys and girls who are beginning to develop wrong habits. They often build parks, gardens, and playgrounds where the people may come to rest or play after work hours. These things help to make the community a better place in which to live. Your group will want to talk about the places for children to play or, if there are no places, why not. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PLAN FOR YEARS TO COME Many communities have grown without any plan for the future. It is better for the health and comfort of the people to plan for the growth of their community. There is a real need in every community for people who will make plans for its growth. A planning group may arrange for better ways of getting a water supply and carrying away the waste. It can plan for new streets and roads. It may plan for new buildings. It may divide the community into districts. It can keep factories, stores, and business buildings out of the home districts. If a city is divided into special districts for homes, factories, and business buildings, it helps to cut down the number of accidents, fires, etc. You will want to know whether your community has a special group that plans for the future. THE MAYOR-COUNCIL PLAN OF CITY GOVERNMENT We know that the services of our local governments are important. But how are they carried out? How are the local governments organized to supply their services? fully there are three general plans of city govmenu in the truted States ome cifice the voters elect an officer, known as a The goter: also elect a lawmaking group, called a The members of the city council may all be elected by all of the voters Often the city is divided into de tricks wath a member from each district. This form of cits pocomment is called the mayor council plan. www The commed makes the laws. The mayor enforces the The m must have men to help him. The more important officers who work with him are called departFrom our study of the purposes of the local www.ermment we know that there are departments of pubThe health, police, fire, education, etc. The heads of these department hive auch authority as is given to them by by the city council. いい Under the plan, the council passes the city laws. They But the city couneil x or by laws. that go against the city charter, the the Federal or State Constit svet, it decides how m y departments and THE COMMISSION PLAN OF CITY GOVERNMENT Under the second plan of city government, the voters elect a small group of officials who are called the commission. The members of the commission may be elected by the people of the whole city. Often the city is divided into districts and one member is elected from each district. The commission makes the laws of the city. It also sees that they are enforced. The work of the city is divided among several departments. Each member of the commission is the head of one or more of the departments. THE CITY MANAGER PLAN OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT Under the third plan of city government, the people elect a small council. The council makes the city ordinances and decides general matters. The council elects a manager who enforces the laws. The council has power to select the best man for the job. The city manager appoints the heads of the departments who help him carry out the laws. He reports to the council on the needs of the city. He suggests plans as to how the public money should be spent. If the manager does not do his work well, he can be removed from office by the council. ALL CITIES HAVE A SYSTEM OF COURTS Every city has a system of courts. Sometimes the judges of the courts are elected by the voters of the city. In other cities, the judges are appointed by the city council or commission, or by the governor of the State. OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS In the early days, there were few police in the cities. The citizens guarded their own homes and properties. The people cared for their own needs. But today we call upon our governments to serve us. We would rather pay |