Government in Your City Or Town


Book Description

Explores local government, discussing the different types, what role it plays, and looks at some famous mayors.




Managing America's Cities


Book Description

This work describes the operations of a typical municipal government and examines the many productivity trends that are occurring in city halls across America. Much of the focus is on the increasing need for planning in city government to ensure that productivity goals are met. It thoroughly examines the roles of the council, manager, and clerk in promoting increased productivity. It then looks at such municipal departments as legal, finance, fire, human services, library, police and public works, demonstrating proven techniques and structures in each that improve service. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.




Making Government Work for Your City's Kids


Book Description

This guide is designed to help local elected officials become better intergovernmental advocates for their city's children and families. The book is based on the experiences of selected policy researchers, collected via a questionnaire sent to some 50 local officials. It advocates developing and using intergovernmental collaboration and partnerships in which officials from all levels and the private sector come together as equals to find joint solutions to community problems. Chapter 1, "The Dual Crises of the 1990s," provides the context within which local officials must work (children, families, and systems that are supposed to be serving them are in crisis). Chapter 2, "Who Does What To Whom," gives a brief overview of the various government structures that affect children and families and points out opportunities for advocacy in each. Chapter 3, "How the Intergovernmental Pieces Fit Together," describes the ways that intergovernmental efforts provide services to children and highlights points of flexibility where local advocacy can be particularly effective. Chapter 4, "Local Government: Catalyst for Collaboration," covers how local efforts can rationalize and coordinate the maze of services and programs and gives specific examples, resources, and sources for technical assistance. Chapter 5, "Seven Steps to Becoming a More Powerful Partner," outlines seven key steps to becoming a stronger advocate for the city's children. Included are two figures and selected supplementary discussions. Three appendixes contain lists of state advocacy organizations; national advocacy, research, and professional organizations; and 37 references. (JB)




Putting Your Local Government on a $ Diet


Book Description

Local governments have grown obese. There is no longer enough money to maintain their weight. Putting Your Local Government on a $ Diet is a practical guidebook that describes numerous ways and provides specific examples of how services can be maintained and enhanced at reduced cost. There has never been a better time to produce such a work for elected officials, public managers, professors, students and beleaguered taxpayers who are determined to make local government operate much more efficiently.







Strong Towns


Book Description

A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co-founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high-risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom-up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life. Develop in-depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never-ending urban growth Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low-risk investment and a grassroots focus Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top-down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live.




Government in Your City or Town


Book Description

Have you ever wondered what the government in your city or town does? Well, this book explains how it is the responsibility of your city or town government to keep you safe and maintain a clean place for you to live. It builds parks, cleans streets, and enforces the laws made by the state government. Learn all about the duties of the government in your city or town, how they rely on police, firefighters, and other local government departments to accomplish all these tasks! This book will allow students to refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.







Our Constitution and Government


Book Description