COMMISSION GOVERNMENT

A third form of government used in some municipalities today is the commission form. It is, however, the least common form of municipal government.

In the commission form, citizens elect from three to seven city leaders. These leaders serve on a board of commissioners. Often, the commissioners are chosen from the city at large, rather than from separate city wards.

The board of commissioners handles both executive and legislative responsibilities. Each commissioner carries out executive duties by heading one or more of the city departments. One commissioner, for example, may direct public safety. Another might be in charge of city finances. Acting together, the board also serves as the city's legislature with the power to pass laws.

In most municipalities that have a commission form of government, the citizens do not elect a mayor. Often, the board chooses one of its members to act as a chairperson. This person sometimes is known as the mayor, but the title is largely ceremonial. In the few cases in which a mayor is chosen by the people, the powers of the office are quite limited.

The commission form of government first developed as the result of a local disaster. In 1900, the city of Galveston, Texas, was struck by a devastating hurricane and tidal wave. The municipal government, a weak-mayor plan, proved unable to deal with the emergency. Within a year, Galveston voters chose a board of five commissioners to lead the city. The commission government was the result.

By 1915, almost 500 cities had adopted this plan. Since that time, however, this number has gradually decreased. Many be­lieve the decline is due, in part, to a lack of clear leadership. With each commissioner pursuing the interests of a certain department, it often is difficult to coordinate city goals and policies. Even Galveston eventually aban­doned this plan in favor of the council-manag­er form. Today, less than 200 municipalities across the country use the commission form of government.

Figure 5

COMMISSION GOVERNMENT

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Date: 2015-01-12; view: 788