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This chapter explores the structure and functions of local government in the United States, focusing on counties, towns, and townships. It highlights key statistics, such as the size and population of various counties, including San Bernardino County and Loving County. The chapter also details the powers and responsibilities of county governments, including tax levy and property management. Elected officials, such as sheriffs and auditors, play vital roles in governance. Additionally, it distinguishes between towns and townships, their sizes, and special districts' functions.
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American GovernmentChapter 25 Section 1 Counties, Towns, and Townships
The Counties • Stats – county size • EXTREMES • San Bernardino County, CA • 20,064 square miles • Kalawao County, Hawaii • 13 square miles
Stats – population • Los Angeles County, CA • 9 million people • Loving County, Texas • 150 people
Powers of Typical County Govt. • Executive Power • Levy taxes • Appropriate funds • Legislative Power • Supervising road programs • Managing county property
Elected County OfficialsTitles & Job Description • Sherriff • Keeps jail and furnishes police protection • Clerk • Registers and records documents, mortgages • Assessor • Appraises property • Treasurer • Keeps county funds • Auditor • Keeps financial records
Titles & Jobs Cont. • District Attorney • Chief lawyer for the county • Coroner • Investigates deaths • About 2 million people throughout the U.S. work in county government
Functions performed by county governments • 1. keep peace • 2. collect taxes • 3. spend funds • 4. build/repair roads & bridges • 5. maintain schools • 6. record deeds • 7. licenses • 8. etc.
Towns • New England towns • They have been the major unit of local government for hundreds of years; its meetings are examples of direct democracy
Townships • Differences • In NY, NJ, PA: townships where formed where people settled, so they are not uniform in shape • From Ohio westward; townships are uniform in shape because they were drawn in federal public land surveys
Townships cont. • States are divided into townships • How big is a township? • 36 square miles (6 miles square) • Each township is divided into sections which are each 1 mile square • Sections can be divided into smaller lots (Half Section-320 acres, Quarter Sections-160 acres, Half Quarters-80 acres)
Special Districts • Jobs of Special Districts • 1. provide water, sewage and electrical service • 2. furnish fire and police protection • 3. build and maintain libraries, parks, schools etc.
Terms • Borough • - the main unit of local government in Alaska • County • - the main unit of local government in most of the U.S. • Special District • - an independent unit of local government • Parish • - the main unit of local government in Louisiana • Townships • - Mainly in the Midwest – counties are divided into subunits that share the duties of local government