AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

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AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

• Federal
• State
• Local

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• 87,000 in U.S.

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• County
• Special Districts
• Municipality (City/Town)

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COUNTY GOVERNMENTS

• Every state subdivided into counties
• More than 3,000 in U.S.
• County governments provide criminal justice
  services, roads, healthcare, etc.
• Most are governed by an elected county
  legislature and elected county executive

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SPECIAL DISTRICTS

• Provide single services within counties or across
  county and city boundaries

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MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

• Corporation created by state governments to
  provide services in a particular area
• Charter says what a municipality can and cannot do

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NEW YORK CITY

• A Consolidated-City County Government

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NYC GOVERNMENT

• NYC collection of counties a municipality
• Five counties New York, Bronx, Queens, Richmond,
  and Kings
• Largest city government in the U.S.
• Strong mayor form of government

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CITY COUNCIL

• Make Laws
• Tax and Spend
• Make Land Use Decisions

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NYC CITY COUNCIL

• 51 members
• 4 year terms
• limited to 2 terms

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NYC CITY COUNCIL

• Members elected from districts around city based
  on population (about 159,000 people per district)
• Headed by the Speaker of the Council
• Bills go through a process that begins with
  committee hearings, followed by vote of the
  council, ending with bill signing by the mayor
• Council can override mayoral vetoes

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LOCAL COURTS

• Most are state courts operating within counties
• A few administrative courtshousing court or
  traffic court

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OTHER NYC OFFICIALS

• District Attorneys
• Comptroller
• Public Advocate
• Borough Presidents

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COMMUNITY BOARDS(59 Boards with 50 Members Each
Appointed by Borough Presidents)
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COMMUNITY BOARDS

• Hear citizen complaints
• Conduct oversight of city agencies
• Advise on land use decisions

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NYC MAYOR

• Elected by all Voters in City
• 4 Year Term of Office (limited to 2 terms)
• Roles
• Leader
• Legislator
• Administrator

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NYC BUREAUCRACY(Headed by Mayor but Managed by
Deputy Mayors)

• Buildings
• Small Business Services
• City Planning
• Corrections
• Education
• Environmental Protection
• Fire

• Health and Mental Hygiene
• Homeless Services
• Housing Preservation Development
• Parks Recreation
• Police
• Sanitation
• Transportation

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OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Con Edisonprivate utility with exclusive
  monopoly to provide electricity
• New York Public Librarynonprofit, but with
  significant funding from city government
• Health and Hospitals Corporationgovernment
  corporation that runs public hospitals, such as
  Bellevue
• MTAstate level government corporation, but city
  owns many of its facilities

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Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
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SUBWAY HISTORY

• 1904 Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) built and
  operated number lines, 1, 2, 6, etc.
• 1913 Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit (BMT) built and
  operated letter lines, B, N, R, etc.
• 1940 NYC government took over BMT and IRT
• 1967 MTA created by state government to run
  subways and other transportation systems

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Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

• NYC Transit
• Metro-North Railroad
• Long Island Railroad
• Long Island Bus
• Bridges and Tunnels
• Bus Company

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MTA GOVERNANCE

• 17 Member Board, 6 Year Fixed Terms of Office
• All appointed by Governor with consent of State
  Senate
• 4 Members recommend by NYC Mayor
• 7 Members recommend by officials from counties
  were MTA operates