pols lecture 29

• Municipal corporation


  Legal status of a city
• City charter


  Document that grants power of self-government to an incorporated community and determines the structure and powers of the city government
• City charter

  • what it may or may not do
  • Like a "mini-constitution"
• Types of municipal charters

  • Special act
  • General act/law
  • Home rule
• Special act charter


  Specific charter for one community granted directly by the state
• General act/law charter


  Legislature defines size at which an area can choose to incorporate, "one-size-fits-all" city
• Home rule charter


  Local community adopts own form of government, voter approval required for adoption
• Home rule cities


  • Have inherent powers not granted by state constitution or laws
  • May exercise those powers not forbidden by their charters or by the state
• Types of cities in Texas

  • General law cities
  • Home rule cities
• General law cities


  Smaller cities with limited powers of self-government, state law defines powers and duties
• Home rule cities


  Cities of over 5,000 may adopt charter, have "full power of self-government"
• Advantages of home rule

  • Reduced legislative interference in city affairs
  • State legislature can focus on state affairs
  • Democracy, citizen participation, and choice
  • May choose form of government and local administration
  • More control over local government policies
• Disadvantages of home rule

  • Frequent amendment of charter can lead to perception of instability
  • Fragmentation of public policy, "a patchwork of local laws"
  • Local interest groups may have more influence
  • Longer ballots
• Forms of municipal government


  • Commission
  • Town meeting and representative town meeting
  • Council-manager
  • Mayor-council
• Commission form of government


  Elected commissioners form small governing board with nominal mayor who presides, combined executive and legislative functions
• Town meeting form of government

  Found largely in New England, a form of direct democracy where all voters decide policy
• Council-manager form of government

  Attempts to separate political and administrative functions, elected council makes policy and sets budget, council appoints city manager to carry out city business
• Mayor-council form of government

  Common in larger cities, may be best at dealing with problems of major urban areas, both strong and weak sub-forms
• Strong mayor-council form


  • Separation of powers, council is legislative, mayor is chief executive with veto power and considerable formal powers
• Weak mayor-council form


  • Council has legislative and executive authority, mayor has little power outside council, mayor has ceremonial, figurehead role
  • No veto
• Great variation across U.S. communities in charters, extent of municipal powers, organization and form of local government, and the specific ordinances that govern local affairs