Local Government

You have learned about our federal and state governments.  In this lesson you will learn about our local government.  Local governments  come in many forms:  school boards, city councils, and county governments.  Each community's government is set up differently, but this lesson is about the small city of Oswego, New York.

The population of Oswego,  around 20,000  puts it in a small city category.  Within small cities, there are still several ways to set up the branches of government.  Most governments have the three similar branches:  executive, legislative, and judicial.  The names, however,  may be different.

Executive Branch

The city of Oswego runs as a Mayor/Alderman type of government.    The Mayor is the head of the Executive Branch.  He/she is elected by the people of the city.  The term is for four years.  The mayor's jobs include:

• presiding over the meetings of the Common Council
• voting on bills only when it's a tie, but he may give his opinion about the bill at any time
• vetoing bills he disagrees with.  His veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the Common Council.  (Checks and Balances- sound familiar??)

Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch is called the Common Council.  Each of the seven (7) elected members has a two year term.  The elected members are called Aldermen. The Common Council's jobs include:

• passing laws that will help the city of Oswego be a better place to live.
• managing the finances and property of the city

It meets twice a month in City Hall.  

Judicial Branch

If someone wanted to argue a new law or ruling, they would go before the city court.  The judicial branch consists of one judge who would hear any cases in the city.    

DEFINITIONS:

presiding: to run a meeting, to be in charge