Unit 1 Flashcards
(22 cards)
Municipal Incorporation
conditions that an area must meet to become a city, town, county, etc.
City Charter
essentially a city Constitution, serve to fragment local power
Dillon’s Rule
a legal doctrine that states that under the US Constitution, municipalities are “creatures of the states” → the states possess full legal authority over the local govts it creates
General Act Charters
divide cities into classes based on population, diff powers granted to diff classes of local govt
Preemption
authority of states to bar localities from taking specified actions or from acting in designated areas (ex: taxing)
Imminent Domain
states can take land for public use, but must pay back “market value”
Home rule - allows cities to make decisions without state approval so long as it does not contradict federal or state law
Intergovernmental Assistance
Localities are not free to levy taxes, impose fees, and borrow money as they wish
They are heavily reliant on state and federal aid
Property Taxes are the workhorses of local govt finance
Structures of Municipal Gov’t
Weak mayor system, strong mayor system, commission gov’t, council-manager system
Special Act charter
each municipality has its own autonomy
Regressive Taxes
Harsher on poor people than rich (ex: sales tax, property taxes, parking fees)
User Charges
Parking fees, entrance fees
brokerage politics
“if i vote for you, what can you do for me?”
The Boston School Committee referendum key points
- Nov. 1989, residents voted on changing BSC structure from nine elected from districts and four at large, each with 2-year terms to a seven-member body, with each member appointed by the mayor for 4-year terms.
- Narrowly passed (51%), high opposition in Black and poor white communities
- Voted on again in 1996 for reevaluation, support increased (69%) but Black parts of city still opposed
- Why? - No loss of # of Black reps. but loss of elected reps, 1st Black female superintendent was replaced
- White community support grew bc of fundraising
- Legitimacy of elected officials opposed to appointed ones
- Minorities are often better off with appointed boards when it comes to representation, at-large elections often do not go in their favor
descriptive vs. substantive representation
descriptive = people that look like you/come from your background, substantive = people who actually advocate for the needs of your community
Are school districts subject to Dillon’s Rule?
yes
Three groups of immigrants
- those who assimilated into American society
- Those who came prior to WWI but did not assimilate
- New racial and ethnic minorities arriving post-WWII
Irish Americans
- Joined political machines for social mobility, patronage got many Irish into positions of power in Dem. party
- most came over due to famine and british oppression
- mostly unskilled laborers/farmers not tradespeople
- they faced a nativist movement in America, were treated poorly, churches burned (catholicism), denied work
- Catholic parishes made geographic community centers, worked well for political mobilization
Italian Americans
- Most came after 1880 from Southern Italy/Sicily, unskilled laborers not tradespeople
- many initially affiliated with the GOP, had success in NYC
- formation of “little italies” to make community
- competition with Irish catholics - took them longer to gain mobility because irish “closed” the dem. party and gerrymandered little italies
- community bound by personal relationships with “insiders”, fueled economic growth - formed community banks to save money they made
- organized crime - funded italian businesses and community organizations
Jewish Americans
- Tended to vote Republican pre-1920s (party ideology switch)
- less dependent on patronage, came to the US with skills that made them money in capitalist system, largely tailors, businesspeople, etc.
- placed importance on formal education –> socioeconomic mobility
- became supporters of Civil Rights Movement, historically the most tolerant white populations, more willing to support social policies
- Other minorities left for economic reasons and returned to their old ocuntry once they earned money, jews escaped persecution so immigration was one-way
- Many diff types of Judaism that came united to combat anti-semitism in the US
Polish Americans
- settled in manufacturing cities, had success in Chicago w/ automobile industry, steel mills, foundries
- 2 orgs for Polish community development: Polish Roman Catholic Union (PCRU) and Polish National Alliance (PNA)
Why were European ethnic minorities important?
They shaped the dominant models of ethnic advancement that exist to this day
