Chapter Nine

State and Local Government

Local Government

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How Governments Work Together

Americans live under three levels of government1. local2. state3. federal

the U.S. has a federal system of government• the powers of each level of government are clearly defined and

understood• the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land

• all levels of government must obey it• state constitutions set up rules that govern the people of each state

• state constitutions must not take from the people any of the rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution

• local units of government have their powers defined for them in charters by the state legislatures

• each level of government has its own work to do• each level has the powers needed to do its job

Division of Powers

many issues call for cooperation among local, state, andfederal governments

• building roads together• local governments had the responsibility of building early roads• Congress voted to have the federal government build the main roads

that extended westward• states established state highway departments to build main roads

• today most roads are built and maintained by the states• they spend billions of dollars to build and improve roads

• federal government pays large part of the cost of new state highways• good roads contribute to the safety and well-being of all U.S. citizens• good roads make it easier for people and products to move across the country

• interstate highway system• planned by the federal government - Eisenhower• now connects all parts of the country• joint project of the federal and state governments

• state governments plan the routes and supervise the construction of roads• federal government pays 90 percent of the cost of building and maintaining

highways, bridges, tunnels• highway trust fund from taxes on gasoline and tires

Why Governments Work Together

City Governments Working Togethercities face many common challenges

• concerned about increasing funds for police departments, fire departments, and education

• look for ways to lessen air pollution and safely dispose of trash

U.S. Conference of Mayors• meets regularly so that the country's mayors may compare

problems and discuss possible solutions

as neighboring cities grow closer together, they often begin to share problems

• officials of various local governments realize that cooperation among communities is needed

• for greater efficiency and better service, the officials of various localities agree that their communities should combine and share certain services• fire alarms in one community may be answered by the fire

departments of several neighboring communities• costs of trash collection, water, and other services may be shared

public education• one of the most important areas in which governments

cooperate to serve the public• state governments grant funds to communities to help them

operate their schools• state boards of education provide services for local school

districts and see that they obey state laws• actual control of the schools is left to local boards of education

• local boards are more familiar with the needs of the students in their schools

• federal government contributes special funds for schools• schools with many students from low-income families receive

special federal aid to enrich educational programs• provides school lunch programs for students from low-income

families• supports research in education

Cooperation in Education

Other Forms of Cooperationfederal government provides state and local governmentswith funds to help them implement important programs

• grants-in-aid• federal funds given to state and local governments for specific

projects• airport construction or pollution control

• receiving government must meet certain standards and conditions• must often provide some money of its own for the project• projects are subject to supervision by the federal government

• block grants• funds given by the federal government for broadly defined purposes• state and local governments develop and carry out the programs on

which the funds will be spent• must develop a spending plan and report to the federal government

how the funds were spent

Other Forms of Cooperationlocal, state, and federal governments work together toperform many other activities

• law enforcement• local and state police cooperate with the Federal Bureau of

Investigation (FBI) to capture suspects• most states have crime laboratories, whose services are also used

by local police officials• suspects arrested and convicted by local governments are often sent

to prisons maintained by state governments• business

• stores and businesses must obey many state laws that require good business practices

• workers in local factories and mines are protected by state inspectors who ensure that the industries obey all safety regulations

• state bank inspectors help ensure that bank accounts are safe• licensing

• state governments establish state licensing boards• administer examinations and issue licenses

• accountants, cosmetologists, dentists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, nurses, and teachers

• helps ensure that communities have qualified professional workers

Government Competition governments also compete with one another

• compete for citizens' tax dollars• income, property, and sales taxes

• states compete with each other to attract industry• may offer lower taxes, good labor supply, efficient highway systems,

and favorable laws to encourage industries to move to their state• cities compete for trade and industry

federal government and federal laws sometimes seem tointerfere or compete with local laws and customs

• federal government may challenge state election procedures if such procedures conflict with federal laws

combined system of federal, state, and local governmentsis complex

• conflicts between the different governments are to be expected at times

• only by working together can the country's three levels of government fulfill their duty to serve the American people