Municipal (City / Town)
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e.g. City Council, Mayor's Office, Municipal Planning Board
Handles
- • Roads, potholes, snow removal, and local traffic
- • Zoning, building permits, and local development approval
- • Police, fire, and emergency services budgets
- • Local parks, libraries, and recreation centers
- • Garbage collection and municipal water/sewer
- • Local business licensing and property taxes
Common misconception
- • Not this: Federal or state/provincial tax policy
- • Not this: Immigration, national defense, or foreign policy
- • Not this: Most healthcare and social insurance programs
e.g. County Board, Regional District, County Commission
Handles
- • Regional transit and county roads
- • County courts, jails, and sheriff's departments (US)
- • Public health units and regional hospitals (CA)
- • Property assessment across multiple towns
Common misconception
- • Not this: Municipal zoning decisions within a specific city
- • Not this: Federal or state/provincial legislation
e.g. State Legislature, Provincial Parliament, Governor / Premier's Office
Handles
- • K-12 education funding and curriculum standards
- • State/provincial highways and driver's licensing
- • Medicaid (US) / provincial health insurance (CA)
- • Criminal law enforcement and state courts
- • State/provincial income and sales tax
Common misconception
- • Not this: Local zoning and building permits
- • Not this: Federal immigration or national trade policy
- • Not this: Social Security / national pension programs
e.g. Congress, Parliament, President's / Prime Minister's Office
Handles
- • National defense, immigration, and foreign policy
- • Federal income tax and national trade/tariff policy
- • Social Security / national pension and disability programs
- • Interstate commerce and national infrastructure funding
- • Federal regulatory agencies (environment, food & drug, finance)
Common misconception
- • Not this: Local road maintenance and zoning
- • Not this: K-12 school curriculum (set at state/provincial level)
- • Not this: Most policing (handled locally/regionally)