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TEXT 2: COUNTIES

For many citizens, the largest unit of local government in which they live is a county. First brought to America by the English settlers, county governments are local units that serve as the main administrative centers for most states. In Louisiana, counties are called parishes. In Alaska, they are called boroughs. There are only two states, Connect­icut and Rhode Island, that do not have coun­ty governments.

The first American counties were formed to serve rural areas. During colonial times and the early years of the republic, people often lived miles away from their nearest neighbor. For this reason, the original boundaries of some counties were decided by the distance settlers had to travel to reach the county seat. This was the town where county business was conducted. Boundaries were created that allowed most residents traveling by horse and wagon to reach the county seat within a day or two.

The American population has changed quite a bit since these early years. So, too, have county governments. Counties today serve both rural and urban areas. In fact, some counties, like San Francisco County in California, are made up of one large city.

NUMBER AND SIZE

Of the 83,186 local governments in the United States, counties are the fewest in number. There are 3,041 county governments spread across the country. The number of counties found within each state varies. The states of Delaware and Hawaii have the fewest with three each. Texas has the most with 254. Counties also vary in area and population size. A county may cover thousands of square miles or only a few. Ñounty's citizens may number in the millions, or only a few thousand.

SERVICES

County governments carry out a variety of services. One of the most important is to help the state carry out its duties. Most counties help collect state taxes and administer state welfare programs. Counties also handle important election duties for the state. County workers register voters, prepare ballots, and set up polling places on Election Day.

Along with such state-related duties, county governments provide citizens with a wide range of other services. Counties, for example, play an important part in law enforcement through the county sheriffs department. County leaders see that local health and safety regulations are carried out. Counties also may have their own court systems and run their own jails. In most states, county governments repair county roads, take care of parks and recreation centers, and oversee waste disposal. Some counties also supervise local education systems.

Another important service of county governments is record-keeping. Citizens look to the county for information concerning property ownership and voter registration, for example. Others turn to the county to find records of births, deaths, or marriages. In many areas, such records go back to the 1800's, and even to the 1700's.

FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

Just as the powers and duties of a county are set by the state, so, too, is its form of government. Most counties, however, share similar plans of government.



COUNTY BOARDS. The most im­portant governing body in most counties is the county board. A county board is a group of citizens who are elected by the people of a county to carry out the county's business. In some states, the county board is known as a board of commissioners. In others, it is known as a board of supervisors.

The number of members of a county board varies. Most have less than ten mem­bers. Some counties, however, especially those that contain large cities, have boards of up to 100 members. County boards usually have regular meetings, at least once a month.

Most county boards have both legislative and executive authority. That is, the boards have legislative duties in which they make laws. Such local laws are called ordinances. County boards also have executive duties in which they carry out the laws.

County boards usually supervise a num­ber of special boards assigned to handle matters concerning a certain subject. These boards may include a board of health or a board of elections. Members of these special boards usually are appointed by the county board. They also may be chosen by certain state leaders, or elected by the people.

OTHER COUNTY LEADERS. Be­sides the county board, the citizens of most counties also choose several other county leaders. The duties of these leaders are described in Figure 2.

In recent years, many counties have added a manager to their plan of government. The manager works to coordinate goals and carry out programs for the local government.

A county manager may be chosen in different ways. In most areas, the county board appoints a manager to carry out its decisions. In a few counties, however, a manager is elected by the people of the county.

Figure 1

 

Figure 2

 

TYPICAL COUNTY LEADERS
County Clerk Prepares and keeps county records; registers voters; prepares election ballots
County Sheriff Enforces the law in areas of the county not under the direction of a city government; carries out the orders of county courts; runs the county jail  
County Assessor Decides value of local property  
Board of Education Sets school policy and supervises school affairs
County Treasurer Collects tax money; pays the county's bills
County Coroner Determines the causes of death resulting from suspicious or violent circumstances
Country surveyor Examines conditions of buildings, measures and records the details of an area of land
Auditor Prepares the county budget; maintains county bank accounts  
County Judges Chief officials of the county courts
Prosecuting Attorney Leads investigations; gathers evidence; brings legal action against alleged offenders

 


Date: 2015-01-12; view: 975


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