Local Government & Finances

types of local gov
1)
County
- largest territorial and political subdivision in NC

2)
County Seat
- center of county government
Municipalities
units of gov (cities, towns, & villages) that have rights granted to them through charters
NC has 540 cities, towns, and villages
they all have same legal status
EXAMPLE: Claremont/Cary/Clemmons
Municipal Gov.
aka city council, town council, or board of commissioners
like local legislature
pass local laws
At-Large Elections- all voters can voted for all members of the board
County Government
General Assembly divided NC into 100 counties
Public policy
- must carry out certain state guidelines
Commissioners set local taxes, budget, and establish counties policies
Some counties have more than one public school system (LEA- Local Education Program)
County Offices
County Departments
county manager appoints people to head some county department
manager could also fire all of these people
Not all departments report to commissioners through county manager
EXAMPLE: Sheriff's Office
Vocabulary
1)
Ordinances
- local laws

2)
Incorporated
- state has declared that a specific geographic area is a municipality

3)
Charter
- outlines basic rules for municipal government

4)
Home Rule
- amendment adopted by local governments
Local Government & Finances
Annexation
name of the process of bringing unincorporated land & its residents into an existing municipal
The General Assembly has given municipal gov authority to annex adjacent areas
Most municipalities have a mayor
Mayor presides over meetings
Council-manager system: most common in NC
Special Districts
- unit of government that deals with specific function (water supply or transportation)
- these are the most numerous types of local government
- Board or Commission may be appointed to run Special Districts
- Board sometimes has power to collect taxes from district residents to pay for services provided
Government Finances
The State Budget Process

Biennial Budget
- a two year budget for NC in each odd numbered year

Governor's Role
- governor's staff estimates and revenues how much state receives in each of the upcoming years

General Assembly's Role
- General Assembly looks over budget that the governor proposes
Budget Surplus
- amount by which the government's income exceeds
- 2006- NC had first bs in 4 yrs (about $2.4 million)
- funds were to be used to help schools
- G.A. decided to put $550 mil into savings
- G.A. also passed tax cuts