Depending on where you live, city council is the group that decides whether a new park can be built, what kind of business is allowed at your local gas station and where new affordable housing will be located. They can also enact laws to tackle complex issues, like improving the quality of life for their constituents.
In the past year, for example, council members have sought to address the city’s COVID-19 crisis and protests against systemic racism and police brutality with legislation that includes a mental health roadmap and bills to expand reporting on disparities in maternal healthcare. They have also acted on shorter-term concerns, including passing a law to ban unsafe e-bikes and e-scooters and requiring that residential curbside composting become permanent across the city.
Most cities operate under a council-manager form, where an elected governing body, often called a city council or board of aldermen, is responsible for legislative functions and approving local ordinances and appropriations, similar to the role of a corporate board of directors. The council appoints a manager to handle administrative functions and propose an annual budget.
The council has many committees, each with its own mandate. They conduct deep dives into city practices and programs on a range of topics, from housing to public safety to finance to zoning. Each council member sits on at least three standing committees, and the speaker of the council and the majority and minority leaders are ex officio members of all committees.
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