The Importance of Local Government

The most basic form of government starts at the local city or town level. Understanding how local government works is important because of its powerful effects on everyone’s daily life. Local laws, as opposed to national laws, are the ones that directly affect how people live, work, and socialize every day.

The Definition of Local Government

Everyone is familiar with the national government that consists of the Congress and the Senate. State senators along with members of congress represent the general interests of residents within their states. Local governments, which affect a city, town or county, abide by laws that are set by the state and national governments combined.

Why It Matters

A local government is important because every city, town, or village is unique. No two major cities, no matter how similar they seem, are exactly alike. There must be unique laws about every issue, whether it’s zoning, property rent, or public safety, that pertains to that specific region. Local government is needed to point out the unique problems that define a particular area.

Local laws are also important when it comes to budgeting. Government officials have to know about the issues that affect their city first and then allocate the right amount of funds to each department, such as policing or public parks. Without a proper budget, no city or town would remain financially or socially stable for longer than a few months.

Local governance is needed to promote widespread peace, law and order. If one person was given total control of the city council, he or she would develop many enemies very quickly. Instead, power is divided among the mayor and other representatives who are elected by the people. This democratic system is fair and widely practiced in developed countries.

The main goals of local governance are to promote the values of a close-knit community and make it more enjoyable for everyday living. To the rest of the world, a city’s values are shown in the form of local laws, court systems, police orders, school policies, etc. People should learn more about how the government significantly affects the lives of themselves and their families.

Originally published at https://luisfaleman.org.