Getting to Know Your Florida Cities
Chapter 2: What are city powers and responsibilities?
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This program brought to you by the Florida League of Cities is intended to familiarize those new to and interested in municipal government. The League is the official organization of municipal governments in Florida, designed and established to meet and serve the needs of Florida’s municipal officials.
Note: DVD visuals are indicated in olive green. The remaining text indicates DVD audio.
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Visual: The Independent Public Corporation
A better way of understanding daily operations of Florida cities is to think of them as independent public corporations. When used, “independent” means it is not under county or state authority. Corporation means a city runs its services like a business, with citizens as stockholders and the council as the board of directors.
Besides being a public corporation, a municipality is also an independent, general-purpose local government. General purpose means there is a wide range of services provided by the entity.
Visual: Home Rule Powers; picture of Home Rule Act 19
Home Rule is a constitutional provision that recognizes the rights of municipal governments to exercise any power, so long as it is not prohibited by state or federal law.
Visual: Laws and Resolutions
Statutes recognize two types of formal enactments by municipal councils – ordinances and resolutions. An ordinance is an official legislative action which establishes “a regulation of a general and permanent nature and enforceable as a local law.” A resolution is a less substantial action and may be “an expression…concerning matters of administration, an expression of a temporary character, or provision for the disposition of a particular item of the administrative business of the governing body.”
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Visual: The Invisible City
The invisible city: delivering services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Every time you drive around town, enjoy the peace and tranquility of your favorite park, or follow directions from a police officer you are enjoying the benefits of city governments working for you.
You probably don’t even think about it, but city government is hard at work right in your own home. Every time you flip on a light or turn a faucet, city government is working on your behalf. And it’s these services provided to you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year which helps make your city a great place to live.
Visual: Did you know?
The City of Bronson was established in 1884 during the Civil War. The town was at first called Chunky Pond through a mistaken translation of an Indian word meaning "dance." The city was given its present name to honor an early settler of great popularity.
The City of Fort Myers was the winter home of Thomas Edison. Henry Ford, his friend, lived next door to him. The Edison Home was donated to the city in 1947.
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