NC State and Local government

2. County Government
● Local governments are established by state governments.
● Charter: Plan that explains the power of a local
government.
● All counties provide services for their citizens.
● County board has legislative powers.
● Ordinance: Law passed by a county board.
● Provide law enforcement, set up hospitals, improve
transportation, and set up public libraries.
● Collect revenue through property tax and sales tax.
● Have executive power to enforce laws (Inspectors).

4. County Officials
● Sheriff: Law enforcement. Keeps peace and manages
the jail.
● District attorney: Investigates crime and prosecutes in
court.
● Coroner: Establishes the cause of death.
● County clerk: Keeps official records.
● Assessor: Determines the value of property for tax
purposes.

5. Special Districts
● Provides a solution for a single
issue or provide a service.
● An elected board runs the
district.
● Examples include Fire, Police
and School

6. City Government
● Must get a charter from the state government.

7. Mayor-Council Government
● Separate legislative (city council) and executive
(mayor) branches.
● There are strong and weak mayor plans.

8. City Council – City Manager
● Voters elect a city council.
● City manager runs the city. Appointed by the city
council.
● Both the City and County hire managers to run the
show.
● Managers are not elected but are in charge of hiring
and firing workers and help design the budget for the
city or county.

9. Community Problems
● Public Policy: Decisions that affect people. They
can come from lawmakers, citizens, interest
groups, and the media.
● Must plan for the future. Involves educated
guessing.
● Short term: Decisions affecting the next few years.
● Long term: Decisions affecting the next fifty years.
● Must have priorities and evaluate resources.
● Communities develop a master plan of goals.

10. Zoning
● A zoning board decides what land will be used for.
● Different zones for residential, business, and public
land.
● Provides a map for the community.

11. • State laws allow cities to annex property so
they can provide essential services to
urbanized areas in an orderly and efficient
way.
• Municipalities must provide annexed areas
with services such as police and fire protection,
water and sewer lines, recreation, solid waste
collection and street maintenance.
Annexation

12. Financing
● Taxes: Sales, property and income.
● User fees: Fares paid for the use of services.
● Bond: Borrow the money and pay it back later.

13. Education and Housing
● Education is the most expensive service provided
by state and local governments.
● Magnet school: Students focus on a particular field
of study.
● Vouchers: Help parents send children to private
schools.
● Urban renewal: Re-building old neighborhoods.
● The government provides low income housing.

14. Shortages and Pollution
● Many places have shortages on power and water.
● Conservation: Using less of our resources.
● Disposing of garbage is a problem (landfills).
● Recycling: Using old materials to produce new ones.

15. • Initiative – A means by which a petition signed by
a certain minimum number of registered voters
can force a public vote.
• Referendum - A direct vote in which an entire
electorate is asked to vote on a particular proposal.
• Proposition - A ballot measure to be approved or
rejected by eligible voters.
State and Local Voting
Procedures