Chapter 12, Lesson 1 Notes Answers, Highlighted

Chapter 12 – Local Governments

Introduction and Lesson 1 Notes

Municipalities – communities that have been officially recognized by state government charter as having local forms of government that provide services to their residents. (565 in NJ)

1. Traditional Types of Municipalities in NJ:

Villages (4)

(Village of S. Orange

Township still uses the

village “form”)

Towns (15)

Cities (52)

Townships (241)

(oldest form in NJ)

Boroughs (254)

(most popular in NJ)

Other important terms:

4) ordinance – local law passed by a county or local government

5) at-large election/member – an election for an area as a whole, such as a whole municipality or state

6) special district – a unit of government that deals with a specific function, such as education, water supply, or

    transportation.

7) metropolitan area – a large city with its surrounding suburbs

8) suburbs – communities that are near or surround a larger city, consisting of smaller municipalities.

9) wards – several adjoining precincts making up a larger election unit, such as a city or town

Each of these municipalities has one of the following structures:  a “strong mayor” plan, a “weak mayor” plan, a “council-manager” plan, or a “commission plan.”  Towns, cities (sometimes), boroughs, and townships can use a hired “administrator/manager” now, since local government leaders (except for cities) are part-time, though they may receive a yearly “stipend” or “thank you” money.

The Mayor-Council Form

1. Preferred by large cities (“towns” and “boroughs” use this form, too).
2. Traditional separation of power: mayor – elected; heads executive branch; appoints heads of executive departments; oversees most or all administrative functions;  
3. Legislature.  Council is elected; passes local laws, called ordinances; approves the budget;

1. Wards – voting districts in cities or towns; council members are either elected from individual wards (or from the entire city, called council members-at-large.)

4. Strong Mayors.  Most cities; mayor has strong executive powers; can veto ordinances passed by the council, which can be overridden by 2/3 vote; full-time job, representing the entire city; can dominate city government, since council membership is a part-time job.
5. Weak Mayors.  Council holds most power and appoints department heads; mayor presides over council meetings; only votes to break a tie; roots – early American reluctance, or unwillingness, to give officials power after experience with Great Britain. (3 in NJ use this)

The Council-Manager and Commission Forms

1. Council-Manager Form.  Popular form today; council appoints a manager like a school board would appoint a superintendent; manager recommends a budget, oversees city departments, hires/fires other personnel; most managers have professional training in areas like budgeting, financial management, and planning.

2. The Commission Form.  Rarely used anymore…though RP does, since 1912! 

1. Executives and Legislators.  No separation of legislative and executive powers; Elected commissioners, each over separate departments, govern co-equally; Meet together as a commission to make policy decisions and pass ordinances; Perform executive duties for their departments; In most cases, like RP, choose one among them to be mayor; Mayor runs meetings and has some administrative and sometimes supervisory functions.
2. Flaws.  Many see this form as inefficient, since there is no clear leadership; Commissions sometimes are unable to set and meet goals, as each commissioner gets focused on his/her department rather than on the community as a whole.

(Today, only about 30 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are commissions, including six in North Jersey. They are North Bergen, Union City and West New York in Hudson County, Lyndhurst and Ridgefield Park in Bergen County, and Nutley in Essex County.)

RP has these departments:

Public Safety -- Mayor John Anlian

Revenue & Finance -- Adam MacNeill

Parks & Public Property -- Wanda Portorreal

Health -- William Gerken

Public Works -- Mark Olson

D.   Other Units of Government

1. Special Districts.  Government unit, usually a commission or board, created to deal with a specific function needed by one or more communities, such as education, water supply, transportation, or fire fighting; leaders may be appointed or elected; most numerous type of local government; the local “school district” is most common.
2. Metropolitan Councils.  A metropolitan area -- a city and its surrounding suburbs, the areas just outside a city. (RP is a suburb of NYC.)  Growth of suburbs, population in general, businesses in metropolitan areas 🡪 problems in land management, law enforcement, transportation, and pollution. Metropolitan council or authority sometimes created between a city and its suburbs to make area-wide decisions about growth and services, like transportation.  A great local example is the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey.