The city council makes policy and passes bills. The council has 35 standing committees and subcommittees with oversight of a variety of areas. The council speaker and the majority and minority leaders are ex officio members of every committee.
It’s the council’s job to provide a check on the administration. This happens through hearings. For example, this year the council has taken aim at the mental health crisis, passing legislation to make access to support services more streamlined and setting targets for housing production. It also held a number of hearings on the city’s response to the asylum-seeker crisis, convening a committee of the whole and bringing together the entire council to take a broad look at city policies.
Often, the most effective way to solve problems is by working with colleagues and city staff. Great teams are built on mutual respect and cooperation. It’s a good idea to avoid going to staff for your own personal agenda, which can undermine teamwork and hurt morale. It’s also important to remember that city employees are duty-bound to carry out the council’s decisions.
As the body that makes policy, your city council sets your tax rates — income, sales and property. But it’s also responsible for how your money is spent. For example, your city rely on funds from the sale of real estate, fees for services and taxes collected from business owners to pay for things like street repairs. Your city council goes through the mayor’s budget proposal with a fine-tooth comb and often suggests changes before it is approved.
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