C) The local governmental entities in the United States.
B) The pattern of local government in England.
Find in the text the information on
II. DEVELOPMENT
a) What kind of decisions do local authorities take?
2. Complete the following sentences according to the information from the text:
1. Local authorities take many … that affect the well-being of their … . 2. A district may be divided into several … . 3. In all states local governmental entities include …and … . 4. Each state has at least two separate tiers: counties known as … and … , and … . 5. Typical municipal government examples include the …, …, …,and … . 6. Many rural areas and even some suburban areas of many states have no … below the county level. 7. In some places the different tiers are merged together, for example as … .
3. Fill in the table with the terms from the text:
| Great Britain | The United States |
| a county council, … | parishes, … |
4. Match the beginnings with the endings:
| 1. Mayor functions of county governments include 2. Elected county positions may include 3. Municipalities are 4. Cities and towns are governed 5. Many cities own or regulate | a. public utilities such as water, electric power, natural gas, and telecommunications; b. by elected officials; c. sheriff, judge, justice of the peace, medical examiner, comptroller, assessor, or prosecutor; d. incorporated cities, towns, or villages; e. recordkeeping, administration of elections, construction and maintenance of local and rural roads, zoning, building code enforcement, and law enforcement. |
5. Read the extract and do the assignments:
To govern their inhabitants, states have created several levels of local government. The top level below the state is usually the county – governmental structures that are responsible for particular territorial areas. Below the level of counties, states have evolved municipal forms of government. These are cities, boroughs, towns, villages and hamlets, with cities having the most people and hamlets the least. Most of these government units are incorporated by states, that is, they are granted a state charter. Some small units, such as villages and hamlets, are unincorporated, which means that the inhabitants have not requested a charter from the state.
Forms of government vary a great deal, although most cities have a mayor or city manager, city council or board of aldermen or commissioners, and an independent judiciary that carries to the local level the separation-of-powers doctrine of the national system. Towns often have boards of supervisors usually composed of the supervisors from the villages that make up the town. These boards customarily function as both legislative and executive branches of local government. Very often major local issues, such as school budgets and taxes, are decided at town meetings, even when there are town boards. The boards usually make local laws within the restraints set by county and state governments.
From “ State and Local Government
Politics and Public Policies”
by David C. Saffell
Assignments:
1. Choose the answer that expresses most accurately what is described in the passage. Only one answer is correct.
a) The US local government bodies;
b) Forms of state government;
c) The functions of state governments;
d) The functions of mayors;
e) The structure of state governments.
2. Complete the following.
a) The county is responsible for … .
c) States have evolved … .
d) … are unincorporated units.
e) Most cities have a … or …, … .
f) Towns often have … that make up the town.
g) The boards usually make … .
3. Ask the questions to the passage.