What are the advantages and disadvantages of a municipal government?

Answer 1

"Advantages"

• Long historical tradition

• Elected representative council to meet constituents' needs

• Has worked well in small and rural localities

• Strong leadership with centralized responsibility

• Facilitates policy formulation and implementation

• Professional manager in charge of managing city

• Council retains policy control

• City run in business-like manner

• Has worked well in emergency situations

• Simple organizational structure

• Swift direct implementation of policy

• "Purest" form of democracy

• Allows all voters a say in how town is run

• Deep historical tradition

• Has worked well in small localities

"Disadvantages"

Weak Mayor

• Power and responsibility diffused

• Lack of strong leadership

• Political vacuum may lead to "bossism" and "machine" politics

Strong Mayor

• Too much responsibility for one person

• Mayor may not be a professional administrator

Council-Manager

• No strong, effective political leadership

• Tendency for manager to usurp policy making functions

• Manager may be a stranger to the city, seeking only to advance his or her own career

Commission

• Legislative and policy functions held by one body

• No checks and balances

• No one person with overall administrative responsibility

• Difficult to elect legislators with administrative abilities

Town Meeting/Representative Town Meeting

• Difficult to do long-range planning

• Challenging to educate all citizens adequately

• Preparing announce of meeting may be cumbersome process

• Annual meetings poorly attended