What You Do
Cities and towns have increasingly become the epicenter of decision making that impacts citizens, and councils play a critical role in that. Most American cities/towns are governed in one of four ways: with a mayor-council, commission, town meeting, or representative town meeting. Some cities and towns have added professional managers to guide and implement decisions made by city and town councils. City/town councils vary in size and structure based on the population of the district.
City councilors act as the legislative branch of the city government and its policymaking body. The council implements the city’s goals, major projects, and infrastructural improvements. This can range from community growth, land use, budgets, taxation, roads, zoning, waste, water treatment, parks and recreation, elections, animal control, schools (there is almost always a separate school board that is funded by the city council but operating as a separate entity focused only on schools) and anything else related to the welfare of the citizenry.
“It’s on us to take office and prepare our communities for future generations.”
Jalen McKee-Rodriguez
City Councilmember, San Antonio, TX
Responsibilities
Members of city/town councils serve as the legislative body for the district. Some of the most important duties include passing local laws and supervising the administration of the city or town; allocating the city’s budget and additional funding from the state; and deciding which projects the city will undertake.
As the federal government has abdicated more and more power to localities, cities and towns face increasing challenges and complicated issues including responding to natural disasters, malware and ransomware attacks, aging infrastructure, and issues affecting their community.
Helpful Skills
Roots in the community are essential for a winning campaign. A candidate does not need to have massive name recognition, but they do need to be an established person with a record of achievement in the community. City/town council members need patience and the ability to negotiate and compromise. Sound communication skills and the ability to speak in public will be helpful. While there is no legal mandate for financial experience, basic accounting skills can be useful. Previous attendance at a city/town council meeting will be helpful.