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Municipal government

Municipalities are incorporated cities, 

towns, or villages within or independent of 

a county having their own governing and 

taxing authority. They range in size from 

small towns with fewer than 100 residents 

to large metropolises spanning several 

counties (such as New York City).

Municipal government responsibili-

ties include public safety, maintenance of 

city streets, parks and recreation, waste-

water treatment, trash removal, zoning 

and building code enforcement, fi re and 

rescue services, animal control, public 

transportation, and other essential servic-

es. Larger cities may also provide assisted 

housing, operate public hospitals, 

and administer social welfare programs 

funded by the city, the state, or the fed-

eral government. Many cities also own 

or regulate public utilities such as water, 

electric power, natural gas, and telecom-

munications.

Cities and towns are governed by 

elected offi cials. These offi cials usually 

include a mayor and a city council who 

make decisions and set policy. The mayor, 

who may or may not have a seat on the 

council, is the head of the municipal gov-

ernment and is responsible for overseeing 

day-to-day administrative functions. Some 

cities have adopted the city manager form 

of government, where the city council 

hires a professional manager to run the 

operations of the city. A city manager is 

the chief administrative offi cer of the city 

and, though not elected, reports directly 

to the elected city council or mayor.