Blog Post 2

Local governments may wish to meet their community's needs but "it is up to the state to determine the amount and type of authority a local government may possess" (p 234), so local governments may sometimes be frustrated with the state because they have limited authority. Some local governments, however, abide by the home rule that gives the legal ability of a local government to run its own affairs, subject to state oversight. The benefit of the home rule is that local officials can taylor their policy to better fit their community. However, most local governments are not run this way. Most of the conflict between state and local governments arise from unfunded mandates. A mandate is a requirement or order set by a state, such as solid waste management. When these mandate are not funded by the state, it makes it harder for local governments to meet this mandate. States believe mandates are necessary in order to ensure that activities are performed and goals are achieved. They also promote uniformity among jurisdictions. Thankfully, local governments have mandate reimbursement requirements making mandates easier to carry out. Not only is funding a problem for local governments to cope with but time and specific rules to these mandates pose a challenge to local governments. Local governments believe that more leeway in implementation would also take a big weight off of their shoulders. Having to deal with rising expenditure demands from residents while their authority to raise money is highly circumscribed by state law is an added weight. While localities want more money, they also want more control over how it is spent and to raise additional revenues themselves. This tension is healthy for our political system because state level advisory commissions on intergovernmental relations (ACIRs) are established. ACIRs are intended to offer a neutral forum for discussion of long-range state- local issues. Another benefit from tensions is the establishment of specialized administrative agencies such as the department of community affairs (DCAs). Established in all 50 states, DCAs are meant to offer a range of programs and services to local governments. DCAs are meant to act more like service deliverers rather than policy initiators.