The city council makes decisions that have a big impact on everyday life. It could be the location of a new park or whether your local gas station can have gaming machines. Your city council might set your tax rates, decide how much to fund the police department or needle exchange program and even how often garbage is picked up.
The size and responsibilities of a city council vary greatly across the United States, but generally it serves as a legislative body, proposing bills and voting on laws to help govern your town. The mayor, if there is one, usually shares some executive powers with the council and may have limited or no veto power. Councils might also elect a speaker and other leadership positions to oversee their work.
In some cities, city council candidates run as members of a particular political party and are clearly marked as Republicans, Democrats or Libertarians on your ballot. But in many places, city council members don’t belong to any specific party and are not considered partisan at all.
Regardless of their party affiliation, all city council members have a big job to do. Their responsibilities might include drafting legislation, setting policy, and giving advice and consent on appointments made by the mayor to city boards, commissions and departments. They might also serve as a check on the administration by criticizing policies and calling attention to problems. The New York City Council, which represents 51 council districts across the five boroughs, is widely seen as doing a good job of this. One example was its override of the mayor’s veto of a bill to expand eligibility for CityFHEPS housing vouchers.
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