government section 11.5

counties

the largest unit of local government in America

• parishes

• boroughs

fill in the blank

counties are also called _______ or ________

county seat

fill in the blank

all counties have a _______ ____ (the town where the government is located) 

county board

elected governing body

• board of commissioners

• board of supervisors

fill in the blank

Most county boards are either a _____ ___ ____________ or a _______ ____ __________

sheriff

elected leader of law enforcementelected leader of law enforcement

county assessor

appraises taxable property within the county

district attorney

prosecutes criminals in the county

coroner

investigates cause of death when it happens under unknown or unusual circumstances

county supervisor

the “president” of the county

county manager plan

hires a county manager who has executive power over county board

town

most important form of government in colonial America

township

led by a direct democracy; town meeting with selectmen

municipal government

Government of towns and cities

incorporated

fill in the blank

to be a municipality, the town/city must be ______________

unincorporated

a community that does not have a government of its own

city charter

legal document granted by the state in which outlines a form of government for the city

mayor-council form

popularly elected officials; oldest, most widely used form of city government

commission form

popularly elected commissioners head the government

council-manager form

council serves as legislative, policy-making branch and appoints a manager; mayor is weak

planning commission

city planning agency

zoning

dividing the land in a town/city for different purposes

1. Residential

2. Commercial

3. Industrial

list the three types of zones

suburbs

developed areas outside of city limits

annexing

when a city acquires land that borders its own

extraterritorial powers

regulatory powers exercised outside of city limits

metropolitan area

major city and the populated area surrounding it

school districts

what are the most common special districts?