What do you know about local government?

1
What do you know about local government?

• Government? What is government?

2
Local government is a part of your everyday life.

• It makes laws and provides services that you use
  everyday. What services to you think they
  provide?

3
What type of government do we have in America?

1. A dictatorship
2. A king who rules the kingdom
3. A representative democracy
4. Go ask your momma!

4
C. A representative democracy!

• A democracy is where the citizens vote and they
  help decide what happens.
• In a representative democracy the citizens vote
  and they elect others who represent them in the
  branches of government.

5
The local government has three main branches

• First Branch The Council
• Second Branch City Commission (with
• mayor)
• Third Branch The Courts

6
The Council

• This group of people make the rules or laws. They
  are elected by the citizens in their community.

7
What does a City Council do?

1. They go to ballgames and hold babies
2. They make rules and laws for a local community
3. They make lots of money and never have to work
4. Go ask your momma!

8
What does a City Council do?

• B. They make rules and laws for a local
  community.

9
The City Commission

• The City Commission works with the Council and
  helps to make decisions. The mayor is the leader
  of the City Commission. Sometimes a city manager
  is hired to help run a city. Sometimes a mayor
  runs the city.

10
The City Commission, the Mayor, the City Manager

• Voters elect the city commission and mayor to
  lead a community.
• But a city manager is sometimes hired and paid to
  lead a community. A city manager is sometimes
  hired to organize the city departments.

11
What is the second branch of local government?

1. The President of the United States
2. The Governor of the State
3. The City Commission with the mayor
4. Go ask your momma!

12
C. The City Commission and Mayor!

• Watch me flex those academic governmental
  muscles! You go ask your momma!

13
The Courts

• The third branch is the Court System. The court
  system settles arguments and disputes, and also
  decides if laws have been broken and if someone
  needs to be punished!

14
What do the courts do?

1. They play tennis on the best courts
2. They debate rules and regulations
3. They decide if laws were broken and settle
   arguments
4. Go ask your momma!

15
C. They decide if laws were broken and settle
arguments!

• Make sure you obey the laws or the courts might
  take care of you!

16
Taxes are paid for many things

• Citizens pay taxes on everything they buy in
  stores, including food.
• They pay taxes on their homes, cars, land,
  businesses.
• Taxes are not fun to pay but the local government
  needs them to provide each citizen with services.

17
What do taxes provide?

• Taxes pay for many things like
• Road repairs
• Subways
• Trash collection
• Running water
• Schools
• Libraries
• Police
• Fire Departments

18
What do taxes NOT provide for citizens?

1. Road repairs, schools, and police departments
2. Running water, fire departments, trash collection
3. New cars, swimming pools, toys
4. Go ask your momma!

19
New cars, swimming pools, toys

• Swimming pools? Are you kidding me?

20
What type of government do we have in America?

1. A dictatorship
2. A king who rules the kingdom
3. A representative democracy
4. Go ask your momma!

21
What does a City Council do?

1. They go to ballgames and hold babies
2. They make rules and laws for a local community
3. They make lots of money and never have to work
4. Go ask your momma!

22
What is the second branch of local government?

1. The President of the United States
2. The Governor of the State
3. The City Commission with the mayor
4. Go ask your momma!

23
What do the courts do?

1. They play tennis on the best courts
2. They debate rules and regulations
3. They decide if laws were broken and settle
   arguments
4. Go ask your momma!

24
What do taxes NOT provide for citizens?

1. Road repairs, schools, and police departments
2. Running water, fire departments, trash collection
3. New cars, swimming pools, toys
4. Go ask your momma!

25
Go ask your Momma if she knows about the three
branches of local government!

• The End

26
Local GovernmentB Arnold

• SS3CG1B
• Local government (city commission, city council)
• SS3CG1c Responsibilities of Govt
• SS3E2 Taxes and govt services (schools,
  libraries, roads, police/fire protection)

• EQ
• What is a democracy?
• What is a representative democracy?
• What are the three branches of local government?
• What is an election?
• What are taxes?
• How are taxes used to help local communities?