state constitutions just like the national government, all 50 states have their own state...
TRANSCRIPT
State Constitutions
• Just like the National Government, all 50 states have their own state constitutions.
• This is so because the United States uses Federalism – a system of government in which written constitutions divide power between a national government and small local governments.
State Constitutions
• Most of the early state constitutions were based on colonial charters.
• Remember a constitution is nothing but an “instruction manual” for government.
• State constitutions resemble the national Constitution in many ways.
State Constitutions
• Each proclaims the principles of popular sovereignty and limited government.
• Popular sovereignty – people give the government power to rule over them.
• Limited government – there are limits to how much the government can do.
State Constitutions
• State constitutions also contain a list of rights for every citizen – bill of rights.
• States are broken up into three branches of government – legislative, executive, judicial.
• They each have checks and balances over one another.
State Constitutions
• State constitutions also include the procedures for amending them.
• Some state constitutions have not just been amended – but they have been revised altogether.
State Constitutions
• The process to change state constitutions have two formal steps.
• 1. Proposal for change – idea to change it, comes from constitutional convention, the legislative branch, or the voters.
State Constitutions
• 2. Ratification – the voting process on a proposed change – by popular vote.
• Many state constitutions have become large, and out of date – reform is needed.
• There has been a problem with confusing fundamental law with statutory law.
State Constitutions
• Example: Oregon’s constitution has existed since 1859.
• It is now over 55,000 words and includes over 2,000 words about veterans’ home loans.
• Another law states anyone who participated in a duel cannot serve in government.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• What two main principles are found in the National Constitution and every state constitution?
• Why are these two principles important?
• What are the two steps to the process of changing state constitutions?
State Legislatures
• Just like the Federal Government – every state has a legislative branch.
• The main purpose of the legislative branch is to make laws.
• They have different names in different states – legislature, general assembly, legislative assembly.
State Legislatures
• All of them – except for one Nebraska – are bicameral – which means they have two houses.
• The two houses are the Senate and the House of Representatives.
• Nebraska’s one house system raises an interesting question.
State Legislatures
• Is bicameral the best system for the legislative branch?
• Yes: Both houses act as a check on each other to prevent poor laws from being passed.
• No: In a unicameral legislature government could get more done and be more efficient – actually make a difference.
State Legislatures
• How big are the state legislatures?
• Needs to be balanced – if too big nothing would get done – if too small not enough representation.
• Senate ranges from 30-50 members, HR ranges from 100-150 members.
State Legislatures
• What are the qualifications?
• All states are different – most common is 21 to be a HR, 25 to be Senator.
• Plenty of non-formal qualifications – can you get votes, occupation, party, race, religion.
State Legislatures
• How are they elected?
• All members are chosen by popular vote – most votes win.
• Candidates are nominated by their party primaries – just like the Federal Government.
State Legislatures
• How do the districts work?
• States are divided up into districts – each district is represented by a member in the state legislature.
• Districts are redrawn every 10 years – why the census is important – based on population.
State Legislatures
• How long do members serve (terms)?
• Senators serve 4 year terms, HR serve 2 years.
• 15 states have term limits – this idea might grow into Federal Government – many new members every election.
State Legislatures
• How much do they get paid?
• Often the salary is not worth the effort to be elected.
• California pays $116,200 average, Oregon pays $30,000. Better salaries will bring better candidates, but how to pay for them?
State Legislatures
• When do they work (sessions)?
• Meet every year – usually 3 to 5 months – some states meeting nearly year round.
• The Governor of the state can call the legislature into session at any time – just like President.
State Legislatures
• What powers do they have?
• They make state laws – cannot go against the Constitution.
• Have power to tax, spend money, borrow money, establish state courts, redraw districts, define crimes and punishment, maintain public schools.
State Legislatures
• Every state’s legislature also has police power.
• Establishing and funding the police to serve in the state and communities.
• This is important to protect the health and safety of the state’s citizens.
State Legislatures
• State legislatures also have the power to approve or deny governor appointments.
• They also have the power to remove government officials through impeachment.
• This is similar to the Federal Government as well.
State Legislatures
• Who is the leader of the legislature?
• The HR has a speaker who leads each session – Senate votes for a leader.
• Leaders refer proposed bills to the proper committee, and gives permission to members to speak on the floor.
State Legislatures
• How do the committees work?
• Numerous bills are introduced each session – committees read the bills and either recommend them to be voted on or pigeonhole them.
• Committees include finance, education, highways, etc.
State Legislatures
• Where do bills come from?
• Legally, only a member may introduce a bill.
• However, bills do reach the floor from other sources – interest groups, public demands.
State Legislatures
• What is initiative?
• Voters have the power to propose new amendments to the state constitutions through initiative.
• There are two types of initiative – direct and indirect.
State Legislatures
• Both types require a certain amount of signatures from voters who support it.
• Direct: After signatures are collected, proposed amendment goes right to the ballot for vote.
• Indirect: After signatures, legislature votes on it – if they pass it, then it goes to the ballots.
State Legislatures
• The other process for passing an amendment to the state constitution is called referendum.
• This is when the legislature proposes the amendment, and it goes to the ballot for public vote.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• What is the main duty of the legislative branch in each state?
• Compare and contrast the initiative and referendum processes in relation to how a proposed amendment gets passed.
• Would you support an amendment in Missouri to provide for a unicameral legislature? Why or why not?
State Governors
• Governors are similar to the President of the United States as they serve on the executive branch of the state.
• What are the qualifications?
• The formal qualifications to be a governor is 25 or 30 years old depending on the state.
State Governors
• You must also have lived in the state for 5 years, and be a qualified voter.
• There are also informal qualifications – will people vote for you, race, sex, religion, personality, experience, party.
• Most governors are in their 40s and 50s.
State Governors
• Most have had experience serving in their state legislatures.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger of California is governor without prior experience.
• Only 31 women governors since 1776 – there are six current women – only three black governors.
State Governors
• How are they chosen?
• Governors are elected through popular vote – candidates are picked through primaries.
• Nearly half of the states have a lieutenant governor similar to vice president.
State Governors
• How long do governors serve?
• Governors serve four-year terms, and 36 states have a term limit of two.
• Who takes over if governor dies or leaves office?
State Governors
• Governors can die in office – or more commonly one resigns in mid office to run for President of the U.S.
• In 44 states, the lieutenant governor takes over – other states have the secretary of state take over.
State Governors
• Can governors be removed from office?
• Yes they can – through impeachment.
• Only six governors have been impeached – most recent was Rod Blagojevich of Illinois in 2009.
State Governors
• 18 states have a recall feature – voters sign a petition to remove the governor.
• If 25% of the total number of voters who voted for the governor sign it, a special election is held which can result in the removal of the governor.
State Governors
• How much do governors get paid?
• Governors are like CEOs of major corporations – they oversee spending of millions of dollars, are in charge of thousands of employees, make huge decisions that effect people’s lives.
State Governors
• However, governors are not paid like CEOs.
• Most make around $100,000 a year - $70,000 in Maine, $206,000 in California.
• They also live in a special residence called the Governor’s Mansion.
State Governors
• It also is a huge step the politically ambitious who want to become something more.
• Many governors have gone on to become President – George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.
State Governors
• What other duties do governors have?
• Governors appoint and remove government officials.
• The legislative branch must approve all appointments.
State Governors
• How do governors handle the state budget?
• Governors make the state budgets – determine what to spend and where.
• The legislative branch approves all of the governor’s spending advice.
State Governors
• Do governors have military power?
• Yes they do. They are commander in chief of state militia, or the national guard.
• Governor can use national guard for emergencies – natural disasters, riots, etc.
State Governors
• Do governors have veto power?
• Governors can veto any bill passed by the legislative branch.
• Governor has five days to take action on a bill – sign or veto.
State Governors
• If the governor vetoes a bill, the legislative branch can override the veto with 2/3 majority vote.
• Governors can also item veto – which means they can veto specific sentences in a bill.
State Governors
• How do governors control state courts?
• Governors have clemency power – give mercy to persons convicted of a crime.
• Governors can pardon or relieve someone of legal punishment.
State Governors
• Governors can commute a sentence or change a death sentence to life in prison.
• Governors can reprieve or delay a death sentence.
• Governors can also issue parole to permit a prisoner a release from prison.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting governors and the President of the United States. In your paragraph talk about the qualifications, powers, and responsibilities that each position has.
County Governments
• A county is a major unit of local government in most states.
• Counties are created by the state and thus controlled by the state.
• There are 3,033 counties in U.S. – zero in Connecticut and Rhode Island – 254 in Texas.
County Governments
• In Louisiana counties are called parishes – and in Alaska they are called boroughs.
• San Bernardino in California is the largest county, and Kalawao in Hawaii is the smallest.
• 10 million people in Los Angeles County – 67 in Loving County, Texas.
County Governments
• How do county governments function?
• They are controlled by the county board and board members are popularly elected.
• They serve terms ranging from two to six years, but four years are the most common.
County Governments
• Counties are broken up into districts and board members represent the districts.
• There are two types of county boards – 1. Board of commissioners, 2. Board of supervisors.
• The board of commissioners is smaller – 3 to 5 members.
County Governments
• The board of supervisors is larger – around 15 members.
• Their most important power is finance – control over county money.
• They distribute funds, tax, and can create a debt by borrowing money.
County Governments
• They use the money to maintain county roads, manage county property – courthouse, jails, hospitals, parks.
• They also hire county employees and determine their pay.
• There are over 3 million county employees in the U.S.
County Governments
• County government needs reform:
• County governments suffer from bad organization – there is no chief administrator.
• All power is divided up among board members.
County Governments
• Also, during elections it is hard to choose who to vote for – not a lot of publicity.
• How do towns and townships function?
• Townships are common in New England and Midwest – stems from colonial times.
County Governments
• Back then, towns conducted town meetings which was the most ideal form of direct democracy.
• Meetings open to all eligible voters – all opinions spoken – vote to decide.
• Now, towns have gotten larger, more spread out and direct democracy changed to indirect.
County Governments
• What are special districts?
• There are tens of thousands of special districts in the U.S.
• They are independent units created to perform one or more governmental function at the local level.
County Governments
• School districts are the most common special districts.
• Also fire, police, water service – or any need to provide a service in a certain area of a county can be a special district.
• The governing body of special districts are elected boards.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• List and describe at least three ways that county governments effect people’s everyday lives.
• What is the most common form of a special district?
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• In 1790, 5% of population lived in cities and surrounding areas – now it is 80%.
• This has led to a major change in urban, or city governments.
• Larger population means greater problems – water, police, fire, sewers, waste, traffic, schools.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• The process by which a state establishes a city as a legal entity is called incorporation.
• A minimum number of people must live there to become incorporated.
• Citizens usually push for incorporation to get services – it is convenient.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Cities are run by charters – it is there constitution.
• Charter names the city and describes its boundaries.
• Cities have the right to sue, be sued, make contracts, acquire, own and dispose of property.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Each city has one of three basic forms of government:
• 1. Mayor-council
• 2. Commission
• 3. Council-Manager
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Mayor-Council is the oldest and most widely used.
• Elected mayor who is the chief, and elected council who is the legislature.
• Council is almost always unicameral with 5 to 9 members – most is New York City with 51.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Council members are elected by popular vote and represent districts within the city.
• Mayors are also elected – some are chosen by the council.
• Mayor conducts council meetings and usually does not vote unless to break a tie.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Mayors can recommend laws and have veto powers – but vetoes can be overridden.
• In a “strong-mayor government” mayor leads, has veto power, hires and fires.
• In a “weak mayor government” powers are shared, police chief, and mayor seldom has veto power.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Most city governments are “weak mayor governments”.
• Critics of mayor-council style is that it depends too much on having a good mayor.
• Battles between mayor and council – public often does not understand issues.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Commission style is simple – 3 to 9 commissioners who are elected.
• They run the city government – one of them chosen as the mayor for ceremonies.
• Weaknesses of this style are there is no individual leader – can be slow.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Council-Manager style is a modification on mayor-council.
• Strong council of 5 to 7 members – weak mayor chosen by voters.
• A manager is chosen by the council to serve as strong leader.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Council makes all the laws – manager makes sure laws are carried out.
• Manager hires and fires employees, is in charge of the budget.
• Most analysts agree that this style is the most effective for cities.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Most cities were created by accident – not planned very well.
• Cities have tried to improve planning to help organization.
• It is hard to correct past mistakes and expensive – cities depend on federal money.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Cities are divided up into three main zones – residential, commercial and industrial.
• Zoning determines types of buildings and other regulations.
• This questions the right to life, liberty and property.
Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Half of Americans now live in suburbs – cities have lost residents.
• They move in search of better life than city – businesses leave too following customers.
• This has created the metropolitan area – cities have struggled with how to provide services for large areas.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• How are cities established, and what is the guide that state’s how a city is run called?
• What is the most widely used type of city government?
• What is the main reason why citizens push for their area to become a chartered city?
Services Provided
• State governments are responsible for providing many services to its residents.
• However, the money that states use to provide these services is not unlimited.
• This requires states to use their money wisely and follow a strict budget.
Services Provided
• Education:
• In 1635, Boston Latin school opened its doors to students for the first time.
• Today, it is the oldest public school still in operation.
Services Provided
• Providing education for every child are the states most important responsibility.
• It is also the most expensive portion of the state budget – accounting for 30% total.
• The cost is going up as well – price per pupil has doubled in past 25 years.
Services Provided
• States use local taxes and property taxes to pay for the majority of school budgets.
• States also set certain standards for public schools.
• Teacher criteria, curriculum, length of school year, quality of learning.
Services Provided
• States also need to report successes and failures of schools – state standardized testing.
• Numbers determine federal aid, and whether or not school should continue.
• We are taking EOC soon in the class – state standardized testing.
Services Provided
• States also establish and maintain colleges and universities.
• State colleges cost one-fourth as much as private colleges – but it has been proven that education level is generally the same.
Services Provided
• Public Welfare:
• States also protect the health and welfare of residents.
• States operate public hospitals and fund them so they can function.
Services Provided
• States pay the costs to immunize children – and with Federal Governments help provide Medicaid.
• Medicaid helps low income citizens receive health services.
• Soaring health costs recently has damaged state budgets.
Services Provided
• States also provide cash assistance programs for the poor – welfare.
• Critics of welfare claim that it keeps the poor, poor and does not set time limit for benefits to end.
• Critics also claim welfare does not provide education assistance to better yourself.
Services Provided
• To improve welfare programs, states now receive lump sums from the Federal Government.
• Money can be used however states see fit – they can regulate welfare anyway they want.
Services Provided
• Public Safety:
• States fund local and state police forces to ensure safety in communities.
• States also operate and fund prisons and correctional facilities.
Services Provided
• There are now nearly 2 million state prisoners – criminal population keeps rising.
• This places a burden on the states to fund the prisons.
• States spend roughly $40 billion per year on prisons.
Services Provided
• Highways:
• When it comes to establishing and maintaining highways in states – the Federal Government is a partner.
• They share costs of interstates – like 55 and 70.
Services Provided
• This is because interstates run through multiple states and is a part of the Defense Department.
• However, states have numerous other roads they are responsible for.
• They also need to provide safety for drivers, and issue licenses and vehicle permits.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• What is the most expensive part of a state’s budget?
• Who is responsible for establishing and maintaining interstates?
• Provide some suggestions for how states can improve their budget problems.
Financing State Government
• We know that state governments provide numerous services to its citizens – but how do they raise money to pay for them?
• States take in well over $750 billion in taxes.
• They also receive over $1 trillion from other sources like the Federal Government.
Financing State Government
• The U.S. Constitution places limits on the states’ power to tax.
• States cannot tax foreign trade – cannot tax the Federal Government – cannot tax based on race, religion, nationality, political party, or other unreasonable factors.
Financing State Government
• State constitutions also place limits on their tax powers.
• States set limits on how high sales tax can be – and limits on property taxes.
• States also regulate city and county taxes too.
Financing State Government
• Adam Smith was an economist – very bright.
• Wrote a book in 1776 called The Wealth of Nations.
• In that book, Smith described four basic principles of a fair tax system.
Financing State Government
• 1. Taxes should reflect equality.
• 2. Tax laws should be clear.
• 3. Taxes should be collected at convenient times.
• 4. Taxes must not hurt the economy.
Financing State Government
• When it comes to states – sales tax is the most productive source of income.
• These are taxes placed on the sale of goods – the buyer pays it.
• There are two types of sales tax – general and selective.
Financing State Government
• General sales tax is applied to any sale.
• Selective sales tax is applied to certain sales – like cigarettes, gasoline, alcohol.
• In 1932 Mississippi was first to use sales tax – 45 states use it today – usually around 5 to 6 percent.
Financing State Government
• The benefits of sales tax is that they are dependable and easy to collect.
• Sales tax is considered a regressive tax – which means it is not based on a person’s income.
• Controversy over internet sales – no sales tax – this is hurting states economies.
Financing State Government
• In 1911, Wisconsin was the first state to begin income tax.
• These are taxes on the amount of money people earn.
• Income tax is progressive – which means they are based on the person’s income – the higher the income the higher the tax.
Financing State Government
• The rates are usually 1 to 2 percent on low incomes, and up to 9 percent on high incomes.
• Progressive taxes are controversial – making people pay different rates.
• Many states also raise money through property tax.
Financing State Government
• These are taxes on property such as land, buildings, computers, cars, stocks, and mortgages.
• An assessment is made each year to determine how much property an individual owns, and how much it is worth.
Financing State Government
• Assessors are elected and play a vital role in the states economy.
• Critics claim property tax is unfair because it is impossible to place a value on property.
• Critics also claim that people hide property to keep their taxes low.
Financing State Government
• Inheritance tax or estate tax also help states raise money.
• This is commonly called the death tax – taxes are taken out of an inheritance left behind in a will.
• Yes – you still have to pay taxes after you die.
Financing State Government
• States also tax businesses – for removing natural resources like timber, oil and other minerals.
• There are also taxes to engage in a certain business in a state.
• Chain stores, amusement parks, taverns, doctors, lawyers.
Financing State Government
• Taxes have always been unpopular in the U.S. – it is what started the American Revolution.
• States seek money from other means too – toll roads and bridges.
• Lotteries – bring in $17 billion per year.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• What is the difference between general sales tax and selective sales tax?
• What is the difference between a regressive tax and a progressive tax?
• What is your opinion when it comes to regressive taxes or progressive taxes? Why?