community politics
TRANSCRIPT
Community Politics
Community Government The state’s diversity plays itself out at
the community level Many/overlapping jurisdictions Citizens often unsure where to get
services or assistance
The Role of CommunityLocal governments in CA perform
three generic functions: Provide goods and services Socialize residents Manage conflict
The Limits of CommunityLocal governments in CA face
three major limits: The Privatization of Development Dillon’s Rule The Myth of Apolitical Politics
County Government Boundaries unchanged since 1907
Result is tremendous disparities The state expects all 58 counties to
perform similarly, but their resources for doing so vary widely
Boards of Supervisors Each CA county’s legislative body is the
board of supervisors Four-year staggered terms Supervisors adopt county budgets, determine
some service levels, and make decisions affecting unincorporated areas
The most contentious decisions usually surround land use
May 3, 2011 Special Election Vacancy created by election of Mark
Church as County Registrar/Clerk Mail-only election (first ever!)
details
Other County Elected Officers District Attorney Sheriff Fiscal Officers County Clerks Superintendent of Schools
County Troubles Financial pressures Policy problems that cross county
lines Lack of political responsiveness
City Government 80%+ of the state’s residents live in
one of CA’s 478 cities Most CA city governments consist of
an elected council plus a mayor A city manager runs the day-to-day
affairs of the city
City Councils Adopt ordinances (local laws) Allocate revenue Determine the extent of public
services offered Make land use decisions
Mayors Most CA mayors
are very weak Mayoral duties
are largely ceremonial
City Managers Build agendas for city council meetings Hire and supervise department heads Provide budget leadership Study the city’s long-range needs Do whatever else the council wants
Commissions Although they are easy to ignore,
local commissions and boards play important roles in California cities
The most common are planning commissions, which advise city councils on land use matters
Atherton City Government City Council Next general meeting, November 17, 7pm What does the Atherton city council do?
minutes
Special Districts Special districts do what general purpose
local governments can’t or won’t do Water utilities, fire protection, recreation and
park, flood protection, lighting, waste disposal, etc.
3,400+ in CA: 66% independent, 34% under control of boards of supervisors or city councils
Can be as small as one block or cover several counties
School DistrictsSchool districts reflect the
assumption that politics and education can and should be separate Unlike most other special districts, school
districts operate under very close scrutiny
Regional Governments When policy problems spill beyond
various local jurisdictions, regional approaches are needed
Two models of regional governance in CA Coordination (e.g. Councils of Govt) Regulation (e.g. environmental
protection)
Next Week – Election Day! The candidates The ballot measures
What are these sorts of local elections really about? Why do they matter?