Community politics

Community Politics

Community Government The state’s diversity plays itself out at

the community level Many/overlapping jurisdictions Citizens often unsure where to get

services or assistance

The Role of CommunityLocal governments in CA perform

three generic functions: Provide goods and services Socialize residents Manage conflict

The Limits of CommunityLocal governments in CA face

three major limits: The Privatization of Development Dillon’s Rule The Myth of Apolitical Politics

County Government Boundaries unchanged since 1907

Result is tremendous disparities The state expects all 58 counties to

perform similarly, but their resources for doing so vary widely

Boards of Supervisors Each CA county’s legislative body is the

board of supervisors Four-year staggered terms Supervisors adopt county budgets, determine

some service levels, and make decisions affecting unincorporated areas

The most contentious decisions usually surround land use

May 3, 2011 Special Election Vacancy created by election of Mark

Church as County Registrar/Clerk Mail-only election (first ever!)

details

Other County Elected Officers District Attorney Sheriff Fiscal Officers County Clerks Superintendent of Schools

County Troubles Financial pressures Policy problems that cross county

lines Lack of political responsiveness

City Government 80%+ of the state’s residents live in

one of CA’s 478 cities Most CA city governments consist of

an elected council plus a mayor A city manager runs the day-to-day

affairs of the city

City Councils Adopt ordinances (local laws) Allocate revenue Determine the extent of public

services offered Make land use decisions

Mayors Most CA mayors

are very weak Mayoral duties

are largely ceremonial

City Managers Build agendas for city council meetings Hire and supervise department heads Provide budget leadership Study the city’s long-range needs Do whatever else the council wants

Commissions Although they are easy to ignore,

local commissions and boards play important roles in California cities

The most common are planning commissions, which advise city councils on land use matters

Atherton City Government City Council Next general meeting, November 17, 7pm What does the Atherton city council do?

minutes

Special Districts Special districts do what general purpose

local governments can’t or won’t do Water utilities, fire protection, recreation and

park, flood protection, lighting, waste disposal, etc.

3,400+ in CA: 66% independent, 34% under control of boards of supervisors or city councils

Can be as small as one block or cover several counties

School DistrictsSchool districts reflect the

assumption that politics and education can and should be separate Unlike most other special districts, school

districts operate under very close scrutiny

Regional Governments When policy problems spill beyond

various local jurisdictions, regional approaches are needed

Two models of regional governance in CA Coordination (e.g. Councils of Govt) Regulation (e.g. environmental

protection)

Next Week – Election Day! The candidates The ballot measures

What are these sorts of local elections really about? Why do they matter?