Local Government in North Carolina: Municipal and County Governance

1. Splash Screen

2. Chapter Introduction Section 1:Municipal Government in North Carolina Section 2:County Government Section 3:Government Finances Visual Summary Chapter Menu

3. Local governments are the governments closest and most accessible to you. They provide citizens with basic services such as education; fire and police protection; and water, sewage, and sanitation. Chapter Intro 1

4. Section 1: Municipal Government in North Carolina People form governments to establish order, provide security, and accomplish common goals. Municipal governments—city governments—provide many services to North Carolinians. Chapter Intro 2

5. Section 2: County Government People form governments to establish order, provide security, and accomplish common goals. Each of North Carolina’s counties is both a local government and a kind of branch office for the state government. Chapter Intro 2

6. Section 3: Government Finances Political and economic institutions evolve to help individuals and groups accomplish their goals. North Carolina governments at the state and local levels create budgets for operating their governments every year. Chapter Intro 2

7. Chapter Preview-End

8. Guide to Reading Big Idea People form governments to establish order, provide security, and accomplish common goals. Section 1-Main Idea

9. Guide to Reading Content Vocabulary • county • county seat • ordinance • incorporate • charter • home rule • at-large election Academic Vocabulary • estimate • expand • professional Section 1-Key Terms

10. A B Do you believe that state laws should supersede local laws? A. Yes B. No Section 1-Polling Question

11. Structure and Organization Local governments are created by the state. Section 1

12. Structure and Organization (cont.) • The two basic types of local government are counties and municipalities. • Counties: • Largest territorial and political subdivision • Each has a county seat • 100 counties in North Carolina Section 1

13. Structure and Organization (cont.) • Municipalities: • Cities, towns, or villages Section 1

14. Structure and Organization (cont.) • Counties and Municipalities: • Legislative, executive, and most have judicial branches of local government • Can raise money through taxes and spend public funds • Can pass ordinances Section 1

15. Structure and Organization (cont.) • The General Assembly creates North Carolina’s local governments and decides what authority and responsibility they have. Section 1

16. A B Which plays a larger role in your daily life, county or municipal government? A.County B.Municipal Section 1

17. Municipalities Municipalities are units of government—cities, towns, and villages—that have legal rights granted by the state through their charters. Section 1

18. Municipalities (cont.) • North Carolina has more than 540 cities, towns, and villages. • Each city, town, and village has been has been incorporated as a municipality by the state and has received a charter. • Some municipalities have “home rule” authority. • Cities can expand through annexation. Population Change Section 1

19. Municipalities (cont.) • Each municipality elects its own governing board such as a city council. • Elections of the governing board may be by district, at-large, or a combination of both. • Most municipalities in North Carolina have a mayor who presides over meetings. • Except for the smallest municipalities, most have a council-manager system. Section 1

20. A B Is better to elect a head executive or appoint one in the form of a manager? A.Elect B.Appoint Section 1

21. Section 1-End

22. Guide to Reading Big Idea People form governments to establish order, provide security, and accomplish common goals. Section 2-Main Idea

23. Guide to Reading Content Vocabulary • public policy • special district Academic Vocabulary • guideline Section 2-Key Terms

24. A B Should county services supersede municipal services? A. Yes B. No Section 2-Polling Question

25. Governing the Counties The county is normally the largest territorial and political subdivision of a state. Section 2

26. Governing the Counties (cont.) • North Carolina has 100 counties. Section 2

27. Governing the Counties (cont.) • North Carolina counties: • Set local public policy • Carry out certain state guidelines and laws • Governed by county boards of commissioners Section 2

28. Governing the Counties (cont.) • County boards of commissioners: • Three to as many as eleven elected members • Two- or four-year terms depending on the county • Include a chairperson Section 2

29. Governing the Counties (cont.) • The board of county commissioners has general responsibilities for county policies. • Independent boards created by the General Assembly oversee specific services that the state requires the counties to provide. • Each of the 116 local education authorities (LEAs) has its own board. Councils of Government Section 2

30. A B Are county governments more independent or extensions of the state government on a local level? A.Independent B.Extensions of state government Section 2

31. County Offices The state of North Carolina provides county governments with a variety of organizational structures. Section 2

32. County Offices (cont.) • Most counties use a professional manager to administer the policies and services that the board has established. • County managers run some county departments. Section 2

33. County Offices (cont.) • Departments not reporting through a county manager include: • Sheriff’s department • Department of the register of deeds • Independent boards Major Services Providedby Local Government Section 2

34. County Offices (cont.) • A special district is a unit of government that deals with a specific function. Section 2

35. A B Should county managers be elected by the citizens of each county? A.Yes B.No Section 2

36. Section 2-End

37. Guide to Reading Big Idea Political and economic institutions evolve to help individuals and groups accomplish their goals. Section 3-Main Idea

38. Guide to Reading Content Vocabulary • balanced budget Academic Vocabulary • revise • convince • portion Section 3-Key Terms

39. A B Should the state be allowed to borrow money for operating expenses when there is a budget shortfall? A. Yes B. No Section 3-Polling Question

40. The State Budget Process State officials must create a balanced budget each year. Section 3

41. The State Budget Process (cont.) • Two parts of a budget: • Revenues • Expenditures Section 3

42. The State Budget Process (cont.) • All state and local governments in North Carolina use a July 1–June 30 fiscal year. • The General Assembly adopts a biennial, or two-year budget, in each odd-numbered year. Section 3

43. The State Budget Process (cont.) • The process of passing a budget: • The governor proposes a balancedbudget to the General Assembly. • The General Assembly studies it and revises it. • The General Assembly passes the revised budget. Balancing the Budget Section 3

44. The State Budget Process (cont.) • Schools and health and human services make up over half of all expenditures. • Income tax provides over half of all revenues. • Any budget surpluses can be either spent or put into rainy day fund. North Carolina State Budget, 2006–2007 Section 3

45. The State Budget Process (cont.) • North Carolina governments can not borrow money for their operating expenses. • State and local governments can borrow money for capital projects. Taxes Per Capital*, Selected States, 2006 Section 3

46. A B Should the state government be allowed to save money or should it be returned to the taxpayers? A.Save money B.Return to money taxpayers Section 3

47. Municipal and County Budgets Local governments face many of the same financial pressures that the state government faces. Section 3

48. Municipal and County Budgets (cont.) • Local governments are required to pass a balanced budget by the beginning of each fiscal year (July 1). Craven County Budget, FY 2006 Section 3

49. Municipal and County Budgets (cont.) • Local expenditures include: • Utilities • Public safety • Education • Human services Section 3

50. Municipal and County Budgets (cont.) • Local revenues include: • Utility user fees • Property taxes • Sales tax • Intergovernmental revenues Section 3