Borough Government and Politics


Book Description

Originally published in 1985, this book was a study of one example of an all-purpose, unitary, borough council in the UK. It covers the years since the democratization of the borough councils in 1835, through the attainment of county borough status in 1888, the major expansion in local government services in the first six decades of the 20th Century, and the decline, after reorganization, of both the boroughs in particular and local government in general. The book assesses the impact of the Borough Council on the town of Reading and its inhabitants, dealing with the politics of territorial expansion, the attempts to make a coherent education and the process by which local politics became dominated by political partisanship. The book’s examination, largely based on original sources, of government and politics in one English town, is of broader relevance to fields such as political history and the development of the party system. It will be of interest to local and urban historians and students of politics and public administration.




Of Bears and Ballots


Book Description

“This book will inspire people to work with and for their neighbors in all kinds of ways!” —Bill McKibben, author of Falter Heather Lende was one of the thousands of women inspired to take an active role in politics during the past few years. Though her entire campaign for assembly member in Haines, Alaska, cost less than $1,000, she won! And tiny, breathtakingly beautiful Haines isn’t the sleepy town it appears to be. Yes, the assembly must stop bears from rifling through garbage on Main Street, but there is also a bitter debate about the fishing boat harbor and a vicious recall campaign that targets three assembly members, including Lende. In Of Bears and Ballots we witness the nitty-gritty of passing legislation, the lofty ideals of our republic, and the way our national politics play out in one small town. With her entertaining cast of offbeat but relatable characters, the writer whom the Los Angeles Times calls “part Annie Dillard, part Anne Lamott” brings us an inspirational tale about what living in a community really means, and what we owe one another.




The Politics of Local Government


Book Description

Combining scholarly literature with elected experience at the local governmental level, Barry E. Truchil addresses the inner workings and politics of local government in small town and suburban settings in The Politics of Local Government. This book explores issues involving development and implementation of budgets, regulation, and control of development (including conversion of open space to housing and business buildings), as well as the initiation of progressive changes such as the use of green energy and control of corruption. Given the limited available research in this area, this book fills a void for scholars in the field, undergraduate and graduate students as well as those interested in the politics of local government.




Local Government in Ireland


Book Description




Managing Local Government


Book Description

Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers offers a practical introduction to the changing structure, forms, and functions of local governments. Taking a metropolitan management perspective, authors Kimberly Nelson and Carl W. Stenberg explain U.S. local government within historical context and provide strategies for effective local government management and problem solving. Real-life scenarios and contemporary issues illustrate the organization and networks of local governments; the roles, responsibilities, and relationships of city and county managers; and the dynamics of the intergovernmental system. Case studies and discussion questions in each chapter encourage critical analysis of the challenges of collaborative governance. Unlike other books on the market, this text’s combined approach of theory and practice encourages students to enter municipal and county management careers and equips them with tools to be successful from day one.




The Oxford Handbook of State and Local Government


Book Description

The Oxford Handbook of State and Local Government is an historic undertaking. It contains a wide range of essays that define the important questions in the field, evaluate where we are in answering them, and set the direction and terms of discourse for future work. The Handbook will have a substantial influence in defining the field for years to come. The chapters critically assess both the key works of state and local politics literature and the ways in which the sub-field has developed. It covers the main areas of study in subnational politics by exploring the central contributions to the comparative study of institutions, behavior, and policy in the American context. Each chapter outlines an agenda for future research.




American Government 3e


Book Description

Black & white print. American Government 3e aligns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and arranged to provide a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. The book builds upon what students have already learned and emphasizes connections between topics as well as between theory and applications. The goal of each section is to enable students not just to recognize concepts, but to work with them in ways that will be useful in later courses, future careers, and as engaged citizens. In order to help students understand the ways that government, society, and individuals interconnect, the revision includes more examples and details regarding the lived experiences of diverse groups and communities within the United States. The authors and reviewers sought to strike a balance between confronting the negative and harmful elements of American government, history, and current events, while demonstrating progress in overcoming them. In doing so, the approach seeks to provide instructors with ample opportunities to open discussions, extend and update concepts, and drive deeper engagement.




Ordinances and Acts


Book Description




Publication Laws


Book Description




Historic Tales of Watchung


Book Description

The borough of Watchung's forests, farmlands, lakes and mountain vistas have been traversed by man for thousands of years. The Leni-Lenapes settled along the banks of the Stony Brook and Watchung Lake, naming the area Wacht Unks, or "High Hills." Attracted by its abundant natural resources, European settlers began to farm the area in the seventeenth century. The citizens took up arms during the Revolutionary War, serving as minutemen in the Somerset County Militia, protecting the strategic Stony Brook Pass. The town survived an existential crisis in 1924 as the state attempted and failed to convert the region into a massive water reservoir. Local author and historian Robert A. Mayers presents fascinating tales from throughout Watchung's history.