State and Local Governments

Chapter 18 Overview

The Structure of State Governments

• Each state’s constitution establishes the three branches of government in that state.– Checks and balances and a Bill of Rights are also included

in each state’s constitution.• State Governors have gained power in recent decades sue to

the complexity of government.– A governor has more power over a state legislature than the president

does over Congress.• State legislatures make laws and appropriate money.• Each state has a separate court system.

– They have trial (lower) courts and appellate (upper) courts.

Citizen Politics– Some states have measures that allow voters to impact

legislation by different methods.• About 1/3 of states have the power of initiative, where citizens can

place legislative measures on the ballot through petition signatures.– California’s Proposition 187 denied most public services to unregistered

immigrants.• A related measure is referendum, which permits the legislature to

submit proposals to voters for approval or rejection.– In Nov., 2009 voters in Maine repealed a law that allowed same sex couples

to marry.• Through recall, citizens can petition to remove an elected official

from office before the completion of their term.– 2003 – Gary Davis was recalled and replaced with Arnold Schwarzenegger as

CA governor.

Structure of Local Government• Dillon’s rule holds that local governments are creatures of the

state, which in theory has the power to abolish them.• Cooley’s Rule believes that cities should be self-governing.

Types of Local Government– County government is the oldest form of local

government.• It is still used in rural areas, and in a few select states.

– Municipal government is used in most parts of the country.• The major unit of local government is a municipality – a city,

town, or village.– Some states have townships, which is a subdivision of a county.

State and Local Finance• States get most of their revenue from personal

income taxes and sales taxes.• Local governments get the majority of their revenue

from property taxes.

State and Local Policy

• Education accounts for the largest combined share of state and local spending. – States are involved in the provision of welfare services.• Programs are funded jointly, but administered mainly by states.

– Health Care makes up over 20% of state and local expenditures.

– States and Local governments also contribute to funding for highways (about 2/3 of funds are state/local), public safety (police and prisons make up about 5% of state spending), Homeland Security, the environment, and in protecting people’s civil rights and liberties.