Does our local councils have more power over us than the government?

Question

Why is it we vote them in when they still do very little to eleviate what we have to pay out

Answer 1

All is government but I agree that there is little accountability for local governments. They are rarely voted out no matter what type of tax increases they cause. Our local taxes have gone up over 65%, imagine our federal taxes rising 65% in 9 years. What an out cry we would hear !! My federal has had an increase of than less 3% & my state less than 6%. & that is with an income increase of salary over 75%. I would toss any President & Congress raising my taxes by 65%.

Answer 2

Did you know that every city has a panel of twelve people who decide where all the grant money is placed every year, now lets just pretend these people are corrupt as a John Grishom novel and last year they gave enough funding to several police-officers to check on a few people who may or may not been wearing their seat belts charge a fine here there and then take the rest of the grant money and throw a Suarez in honor of the fact that they are doing a great job as the city's officials when the Suarez takes less of the money to pay and they turn it in the next year they don't get that much money from the grant so they have to keep creating more fantastic ways to get more grant money every year which is one reason the helmet law is always such a big issue...Theres big money in it. Am I being too vague,, the people with the money make the rules.. break the rules you have to pay.

Answer 3

OMG it's true! (to the above). We are getting screwed the most by federal regulations, but states are in on the action. It's the trickle down effect. Our Feds do not follow the constitution which is supposed to delegate almost all authority of law-making & enforcement to the State level, where leaders could be held more accountable. You hear democracy all the time, but that's not what we really have. We vote for certain people who are supposed to represent us, but for the most part they have to wheel and deal within the system to get anything they want done they have to make compromises and this is where corruption sets in. With modern technology it would be possible to create a true democracy, but there would have to be some kind of huge rebellion to get that! Anyway, if you don't vote (like apparently approx 80% or more of the public doesn't) then that doesn't help either. Disillusionment is not the answer - we need to get out there and do something about what we want. Unfortunately, the only people that seem to have that kind of drive to get it done is the morons that want to make ever more restrictive laws that reduce everybodies freedom. Okay, I could go on and on, but I think when I'm ready I'll post my own question....

Answer 4

Depends what you mean by 'power'

They have the responsibility to carry out at a local level legislation introduced by parliament.

Parliament has also given them certain 'powers' where issues are delegated to local level.

In many things you might want for eg your daily life, like rubbish collection, Schools and planning permission your local council has the responsability to ensure the 'rules' are followed. So in that sense they do a lot of things that effect your quality of life

Answer 5

In Los Angeles the former Police Chief is on the City Council, some people sent him mail he didnt like because of a recent law suite that he voted in favor of, he sent back letters telling everyone who mailed him that he had given their names and adresses to the Anti-Terror and Intellegence Unit.This is power OUT OF CONTROL. The city council held an election this week and over half were re-elected UNOPPOSED thats the level of intimidation, thats the LEVEL OF POWER.(this happened in AMERICA not Central America)

Answer 6

Your local government probably has more impact on your day to day life than the national or state government. They set more of the local laws and ordnances they set part of your property tax, some also have a local sales tax. The effect more things personally while nationally is more looming. For most people the war in Iraq doesn't effect us directly. Or gay marriage doesn't effect someone who isn't gay. While whether I can park on the street or not does effect me.

Answer 7

city government is often shaped by ability of their own city shape, or under state regulation. It varies from state to state. States set their own regulations on how cities are ruled. the federal government would not have something to do with the indoors workings of a state, save that it complies with federal regulation.

Answer 8

Local > state > federal

Answer 9

um, your local council IS "the government"..it's called local government, you know...

Answer 10

propably yes !!! what shocked me the other day was two of our heads of councils in the south east earn more than the "prime minister???"