When it comes to local government, your city council is where the rubber hits the road. It acts as your lawmaking body and keeps the mayor — and other city agencies — in check. It passes laws and ordinances, and imposes taxes and fees. It can also create and regulate land use (can a developer turn that old factory into apartments?) and establish boards and commissions to solve complex problems.
Your city council also sets your priorities by deciding how much you pay for services like police and garbage collection, and how it spends money on projects such as building renovations and new schools. It can also set the rates for income, sales, and property tax. It also appoints people to certain jobs, such as the mayor or city manager. And it creates zoning rules, which determine where different kinds of buildings can go where (can you build that tall apartment building?).
During the coronavirus pandemic, it was focused on making sure eligible residents could get their vaccine and on helping communities heal after the disease. And it passed bills aimed at expanding opportunity, such as requiring the city to bring free doula services to neighborhoods that need them, and requiring the city to make information about mental health programs more accessible.
Your city council has a lot of power, and the work it does affects you every day. So it’s important to be informed when you vote – tune into debates, attend town halls, and read the news. And be sure to get to know your candidates – find out if they’re running as partisans, what their party affiliation is, and how their views differ from the mayor’s.
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