US Politics

State Government

New Jersey Quiz

• How many counties comprise New Jersey?

• New Jersey has a bicameral legislature. Identify the 2 chambers.

• How many representatives are in each chamber? What is the length of terms for members of each chamber?

New Jersey Quiz

• State bird?

• State flower?

• State animal?

• State fruit?

• State insect?

• State dance?

State Bird

Eastern Goldfinch

State Flower

Purple Violet (1971)

State Fruit

Blueberry (2004)

State Animal

Horse (1977)

State Insect

Honeybee (1974)

State Dance

Square Dance (1983)

Overview

• State governments and Federalism

• State Constitutions

• New Jersey Government

Government in the US

Federal Government 1State Governments 50Local Governments 87,849

Counties 3,034Municipalities 19,431Townships 16,506Special Districts 33,356School Districts 13,522

Government in the US

Federal Government 1State Governments 50Local Governments 87,849

Counties 3,034Municipalities 19,431Townships 16,506Special Districts 33,356School Districts 13,522

Fastest growing level of government

Government in the US

Federal Government 1State Governments 50Local Governments 87,849

Counties 3,034Municipalities 19,431Townships 16,506Special Districts 33,356School Districts 13,522

New Jersey has 615 school districts

Government in the US

• Of those 615– 22 have no schools, no students

• e.g., Teeterboro School District– 3 School Board members, $267,000 budget, and no

schools

• Statewide, these districts serve 2,172 students and cost taxpayers $800,000 in administrative expenses

State Governments

• Early diversity to post-Constitution similarity– most had no separation of powers or

checks and balances

• All* have same basic structure as U.S. government *Except Nebraska, which has a unicameral

legislature

State Governments

• Variation on types of legislature– Some are fulltime professional

• CA ($99,000/year), NY ($79,500)

– Some are “citizen” (part time, low pay)• NH ($200, no per diem)• NV ($300 per day; 60 day session)

– Some are hybrid• TX ($7200; 140 day session)

• All salaries

State Governments

• Executive Branch– All 50 states have governors– 45 states have lieutenant governors

• only Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey,* Tennessee, and West Virginia don’t

*In 2006 New Jersey voted to amend its constitution and create the office in the next gubernatorial election

State Constitutions

• Much variation in state constitutions

• Tend to be much longer and have much more amendments than US constitution

State Constitutions• Mississippi (1890)

Sec. 19. Human life shall not be imperiled by the practice of dueling; and any citizen of this state who shall hereafter fight a duel, or assist in the same as second, or send, accept, or knowingly carry a challenge therefore, whethersuch an act be done in the state, or out of it, or who shall go out ofthe state to fight a duel, or to assist in the same as second, or to send, accept, or carry a challenge, shall be disqualified from holding any office under this Constitution, and shall be disenfranchised.

State Constitutions

• Pennsylvania (1968)Section 27. “The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”

State Constitutions

• Montana (1973):

“Human dignity is inviolable.”

• North Carolina (1971):

“Secret political societies shall not be tolerated.”

• Rhode Island (1986)– Fishing and shore rights (section 17)

State Constitutions

• New Hampshire (1783)“Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security, of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.”

State Constitutions

• Louisiana– Preservation of

Linguistic and Cultural Origins

– “Section 4. The right of the people to preserve, foster, and promote their respective historic linguistic and cultural origins is recognized.”

State Constitutions

• Alaska– Alaska (1959):– “Public schooling shall always be

conducted in English.”

• Alabama:– 287 sections; 777 amendments including

• Section 182• Section 256

New Jersey Government

• Executive• Legislature• Judiciary

Executive Branch

• Governor*• Departments,

Boards, and Commissions

*In 2006, New Jersey voted to amend the constitution and create a Lieutenant Governor

Executive Branch

• To be governor:• At least 30 years old• U.S. citizen for at

least 20 years• New Jersey resident

for seven years prior to the election.

Executive Branch

• The governor earns $157,000 per year. The maximum salary the governor can be paid is $175,000.

• No term limits (but no more than 2 consecutive terms)

Executive Branch

• 16 Executive Departments

• Agencies & Commissions

Legislature

• Bicameral– State Senate and State Assembly– State divided into 40 legislative districts– 40 members of the Senate– 80 members of the Assembly

Legislature

• In session Monday and Thursday, about 40 sessions per year

Legislature

Qualifications for Senate:– At least 30 years of age – A citizen– A resident of the state for

four years and of the legislative district for one year

– 4 year term (except in the term after the census, which is a 2 year term)

– $49,000 salary

Senate President Richard Codey (D, 27)

Legislature

• Qualifications for Assembly– At least 21 years of age– A citizen– A resident of the state for

two years and of the legislative district for one year.

– 2 year term– $49,000 salary

Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts (D-5)

Judiciary

• New Jersey Supreme Court– 1 Chief Justice– 6 Associate Justices

Chief Justice James R. Zazzali