local government & finance

Local Local Government Government

& & FinanceFinance

__________ Government in NC__________ Government in NC

____________ & Organization

____ Types of Local Government

• ____________________– __________ counties in NC

– ____________ – center of county gov’t

• Municipalities– _______, __________, or _____________

(have same legal status)– Have _____________ and ____________

branches… some have ____________ branches (no judicial authority)

– Raise $ through ______________– Set local ____________ policies– Establish ________________

MUNICIPALITIES

Key terms: • ________________________- declared as a

municipality and granted a _________• __________– outlines basic ______ for

a municipal gov’t • _______________– allows cities to write

their own ____________, chose their own type of gov’t and ____________ their own affairs

MUNICIPALITIES

• _______+ exist in NC• See p 408 to see services provided on

the local level• Each has been incorporated & given a

charter… can _________ by _______________ or _____________

• Can expand– _______________(to bring unincorporated areas into an existing municipality)

Municipal Government

• Elects a board: a ______________, city council, _______________________, or board of _______________

• Acts like a _______________• In Alamance County:

– Haw River– Town Council– Burlington– City Council– Alamance County– Board of Commissioners– Elon– Board of Aldermen

• Pass local ___________(___________)

• Approve _____________

• Set _________ rates

• Regulate citizens’ ____________

Municipal Government (cont’d)

3 types:

• Mayor-Council Government

• Council-Manager Plan

• Commission Plan

Types of Municipal Government

Most use a “________________” plan: • _______serves as chief executive and the

board of alderman/ city council serve as the legislative branch

• Can be a “______” mayor or a “______” mayor

• “weak” mayor– few ____________ powers; most __________ are with _____________

• “strong” mayor– similar to relationship of _____________ to ________________

• Council- Manager Plan

Voters select a__________, which makes

laws and hires a

City Manager who handles the daily business of

government, including supervising city employees

Commission Plan:

• Commissioners are chosen by voters who direct one of the city’s departments

• ____________used anymore

COUNTY COUNTY GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Governing the Counties

• ________________ counties• Serves as _________ gov’t AND as an

extension or branch of state gov’t• Sets local ___________________• Carries out state guidelines and laws• Governing body of a county = Board of

County Commissioners– Set ___________ rates– Approve _________________– Establish county _______________

Alamance County Board of Commissioners

• Website: http://www.alamance-nc.com/Alamance-NC/Departments/Commisssioners/

• Chairman Larry Sharpe, Vice-Chairman Dan Ingle, William Lashley, Tim Sutton, Ann Vaughan

• Serve 4 year terms

Responsibilities of counties:

• General Assembly created independent boards to oversee specific services required by counties to provide (if county is small can combine)

• ______________• ____________________• _______________ health• ______________ health• _______________services• ABC (alcoholic beverage control)• Soil & water conservation

• See website: http://www.acmhddsa.org/

Education

• _________= Local Education Authority

• 100 counties… ________public school systems (100 county + 16 city)

• Example: Orange County Schools & Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

• _____________ elect ______________ members

County Offices

• Some NC counties hire _____________ called ________________________

• Alamance County = David Smith

• Reports to the board of county commissioners

Services Provided (see page 408)

County Departments

• Sheriff’s Department– headed by _________(elected)– leads county ____ enforcement & oversees the county _______

• Dept. of Register of Deeds– headed by __________(elected) – keeps county __________: land ownership, ___________, ________ & _________

GovernmentGovernment Finances Finances

State Budget Process

• ________– a plan for __________ and _____________ money

• 2 parts: government ___________ & government _______________

• NC= ____________Budget– Every _____ years (odd)– ____________ year= July 1st – June 30th

• ______________’s role:– Prepare revenues guesstimates for

upcoming 2 years– Add up requests for expenditures from

state agencies– Compare total estimated revenues with

total estimated expenditures– Propose a _______________BUDGET

State Budget Process (cont’d)

• _____________’s role– Studies proposed budget– Makes necessary

____________– If can’t agree…

State Budget Process (cont’d)

• ______________ & ________________– Half of total spending went toward health & human

services and public education– Over half state revenue comes from ___________

• Budget ______________– Amount ________ exceeds ______________

• Borrowing $– NC gov’t’s can ____ borrow $ for __________

expenses– CAN borrow for major purchases– Allows gov’t to make _________ without waiting to

_______________– Spreads burden of ___________ to future ______

State Budget Process (cont’d)

Municipal & County Budgets• Municipalities & county gov’ts adopt budgets

every ______________• NC gov’ts _________ pass ________ budget• Must balance between ________ & _______• Expenditures

– _____ municipal toward __________ (water / sewage)

– ________ & _____________– _______county go toward _____________– 1/4th county pay for public health, mental

health and social services• Revenues

– 1/3rd municipal comes from ______________– ________________ provide large amounts of

revenue