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PUA 6304, Local Government 1 Cou rse Learning Outcomes for Unit II Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 1. Examine the evolving inter -relationships between the various levels of government. 2. Identify the respective roles of state and local governments in our governance structure. Reading Assignment State and Local Government : Chapter 2: Federalism and the States Unit Lesson State & Local Government On a daily basis, most Americans have more in the way of contact with their state and local governments. In our daily activit ies the federal government is usually seen as more removed, providing services and programs at the national level. Functions such as fire departments, police departments, libraries, education and schools, waste water management , land use planning , and buil ding regulation are commonly found within the mandate of state and local government. Individual states have their own state constitutions. These state constitutions are generally much more detailed than the United States Constitution. The White House websi te (2013) states that “the Alabama Constitution, for example, contains 310,296 words — more than 40 times as many as the U.S. Constitution” (State and Local Government, para.1) The Function and Structure of State Government In general terms the U.S. Constitution (Tenth Amendment), prescribes that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are to rest with the individual states and the individual citizen. Structurally, each state is organized along the lines of the model of the feder al government including the three branches of executive, legislative, and judicial. The Executive Branch In all states, a governor is the head of the executive branch. This position is directly elected by the residents of that particular state. In many states there are other political leaders within the executive branch. These positions include, for example, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and auditors and commissioners. These positions are usually elected positions similar to the post of governor. The actual structure and organization of the executive branch in a state varies widely , based, in part, on the wide range of the size and complexity of state governments. For example, we see that California has a GDP of mo re than two trillion dollars and a population of more than 38 million people; whereas, Rhode Island has a GDP of less than fifty billion dollars and fewer than two million people. Legislative Branch Each of the states has a legislature which is comprised of representatives elected by the citizens of that state. Their role is to consider policy issues that are either brought forward by a member of the legislature or alternatively by the governor. One key function of a legislature is the approval o f the budget of the state. To generate the revenue required to support the budget the legislature approves legislation dealing with taxes. UNIT II STUDY GUIDE State and Local Government:

The Framework PUA 6304, Local Government 2 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Each state has an upper and a lower chamber. The upper chamber is the smaller in size and is called the state senate . The lower chamber is called the House of Representatives. State laws are passed by both chambers acting in concert. Only one state (Nebraska) has only one chamber. Judicial Branch Each state has a judicial branch similar to that of the federal governme nt. This framework includes a state supreme court , whose role is to consider appeals from the lower -level state courts. The actual structure of the state court system and judicial appointments/elections are subject to the rules and regulations of each stat e and the constitution of that state. The state supreme court is primarily concerned with legal procedural and interpretation matters and it does not actually hold trials. Local Government Structure The structure of local governments usually includes two levels: counties and cities/towns. Local government including counties, cities, towns, boroughs (except in Alaska), villages, and townships are usually organized based upon a population concentration. For the most part, we see that these are defined by th e United States Census Bureau. As we see these local governments vary widely by population and size. Functionally, local governments provide “local services” such as local roads, water and wastewater services, solid waste management, parks and recreation services, emergency services such as police and fire departments and, transportation services (including public transportation. Politically, officials in local government are elected directly by the citizens of that community. The US Federal System Overa ll, the United States has a federal system of government that is specifically designed to distribute power between a federal government at the national level and a series of sub -national governments. Bowman and Kearney (2014) note that the main advantages of the federal system include: a distribution of political power , enhanced administrative efficiency without a large centralize bureaucracy , the creation of a climate of “innovation” in the 90,000 or so sub national government units , and increased opportun ities for public engagement throughout the overall governance system. Clearly, there is not “one government” in the United States , but rather a series of governments with differing roles and responsibilities. Over the history of the nation these roles hav e evolved. At times there have been forces that have moved the nation to a more central (federal) perspective on the roles of governments. At other times there has been a move to more devolved power and authority to the states and local governments. Curren tly, we are in a period known as “Cooperative Federalism” which is evident in the increased focus on intergovernmental and community partnerships to provide service to citizens. Bowman and Kearney (2014) suggest that this period of enhanced cooperation and the importance of intergovernmental activity will remain relevant for some time due to a variety of factors. In that light it is important to consider the key stakeholders (the federal, state , and local governments) as well as non profits as important in c rafting solutions that are of value to our citizens offering effective and efficient services. References Bowman, A. & Kearney, R. (2014). State and local government. (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. The White House. (2013). State & Local Government . Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/our - government/state -and -local -government PUA 6304, Local Government 3 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Suggested Reading Click here to access a PDF of the State and Local Government Chapter 2 Presentation . United States Census Bureau Serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. http://www.census.gov/# Learning Activities (Non -Graded) Technology and Nonprofits Click on the following link to access the National Council of Nonprofits: http://www.councilofnonprofits.org From there, click on the following series of section links to access the section on Technology : 1) the gray tab labeled Resources; 2) Resources by Topic; and 3) Technology. Once you have located the page, review why technology is important for Nonprofits and how Nonprofits can use technology to advance their mission. Finally research and review the different technology solutions available to Nonprofits. Think about the different technology that would be beneficial for a shared service between a local or st ate government and a not -for -profit organization (hint: think about your course project). Non -graded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. PUA 6304, Local Government 4 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title