Forms of Local Government: A Handbook on City, County and Regional Options - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786431008 ISBN 13: 9780786431007

Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2007

Synopsis

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the various forms of government below the state level now in use in the United States of America. It sorts through the traditional commission, mayor-council, strong mayor, and council-manager models for counties, cities, townships and school districts. The book also treats those entities that transcend the traditional boundaries of cities and counties, including the evolving residential community associations and regional government structures. Further examination is given to sub-metropolitan districts such as municipalities and boroughs. A clear basis for assessing the productivity and effectiveness of the various forms of government is provided by 38 contributors in 45 essays, considering such issues as revenue, privatization, strategic planning, suburbanization, city-county consolidation, and other urban and rural topics. The proper roles for elected and appointed officials in all models are explored.

About this title

About the Author:

Roger L. Kemp, Ph.D., has been a city manager of west and east coast cities for more than 25 years and holds International City/County Management Association credentials. A graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University, he has been a visiting scholar and adjunct professor at the University of California, Rutgers University, the University of New Haven and the University of Connecticut.

From Booklist:

Not a ready-reference, dictionary-type tool, this is a thorough overview of the various forms of local government. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of cities, counties, regional structures, school districts, and community associations—and variations within each (such as traditional commission, mayor-council, and council-manager models). The roles of elected and appointed officials are explored, as are a variety of issues facing localities today: privatization, strategic planning, city-county consolidation, et al. The 45 brief chapters are reprints of articles and reports prepared from the 1970s through the 1990s for publications like National Civic Review and Public Management. --Sally Jane

About this edition

• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0786431008
• ISBN 13: 9780786431007
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 398
• Editor: Kemp Roger L.