Local GovernmentEssential services, funding , municipal organizations, programs, etc.

ESSENTIAL SERVICESTRADITIONALLY CLEAN WATER, UTILITIES AND WASTE DISPOSAL. HOWEVER MODERN

LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED “ESSENTIAL”

Funding Local Service

Sercives provided by municipal government are essential and come from the municipal budget.

Funding for municipal services is raised mostly by PROPERTY TAXES

Property taxes apply to houses, apartments, and businesses.

Additional fees are from user fees, liscences, parking permits.

Funding can be shared with Provincial government. Ex public transit and schooling.

Organization of Municipal Government

Form of municipal gov’t that provides common services to citizens of several neighbouring municipalities.

Found in Urban centers with large populations.

Join services together to become more efficient.

Metropolitan gov’t provides public transport or sewage and the local municipality provides services like snow removal or parks and rec maintinance.

Combination of cities, towns or other areas under one government.

Municipalities have combined to provide shared services.

Handles all local services. Toronto, Winnipeg, and

Halifax became amalgamated in late 1990s.

Some believe that amalgamated cities are more economically efficient and other believe municipalities are more effective.

Metropolitan Government Amalgamation

Elected and Appointed Municipal Officials

Anyone who lives in, owns/rents land or is married to someone who does, is able to run for office in that municipality.

Municipal Council is elected these people are responsible for local issues.

The head of municipal council is called a Mayor or a Reeve. Other members are called councillors or aldermen.

Municipality can elect their officials two ways: a general vote where all people vote for a candidate OR municipality is geographically divided into wards.

Each ward will have candidates from multiple parties running for elecetion. Voters are only able to vote for the candidate in their own ward.

School boards and utility commissions (electricity, gas, etc) also have elected members.

Advisory commisions like library or parks and recreation are usually appointed

Local governement work is handled by the civil service who are hired, NOT elected.

People often contact civil servants like teachers, principals, and superintendents to voice their concerns even though they aren’t elected

Decis

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Bylaw: regulation passed by municipal councils. Provincial governments can review and overturn this legal decision.

Ex. Dogs need to be on leashes.

Parking requirements.

New street signs.

Municipal councilors and mayors are responsible for;

Ensuring services are delivered Creating policies and passing bylaws *** Local planning which is planning for the future

and making sure all the policies and procedures are met.

Committees are made to help carry out the services that the municipal government offers. Committee for transportation Public works; sewage, water, garbage, recycling,

compost,etc Parks and recreation. Assisted living

ALL municipal decisions must go through 5 steps before being applied. 1. committees/public/staff meet and make

deputations and proposals for new bylaws 2. Items are discussed and reports and materials

are provided to all those involved 3. Public council meeting with mayor or reeve, they

debate, read the proposed bylaw at least three times, and finally a vote

4. Bylaws are signed 5. Bylaw takes effect

How

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level

You can express your opinion in your community by involving yourself in social action activities. The government does not need to be involved but you are participating in your municipality. Awareness campaigns, earth week, women’s shelters, fight for equality, etc.

Grassroots organizing: is strength in numbers. Organizing society at the local level to influence people on a larger scale. They often provide services for needy groups, demonstrate, help with elections or join other community activities (like a race)

Challenges for Municipal Governments

Municipalities face problems when cities grow or decrease in population. Traffic and waste may increase, more parks and child care may be needed, etc.

Residents of the municipality require certain services some of which are essesntial and they require a large amount of the budget. Since municipalities cannot go into debt they can only improve their city as much as their wallet allows.

Challengesmust choose what is most important and serves the majority

of the population’s needs.

Increased waste Subsidized public

housing Child care Welfatre Urban renewal Crime Homelessness Accessible

transportation

Traffic Recreation Health care Welfare Housing Safety of citizens Property Advertisement More police

presence