The Meaning of Local Government

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Renée Cardarelle
May 2, 2025

It is common to hear the term local government used when talking about legislation. However this term is used so expansively, from describing large state governments to small local governments like townships, it has become almost meaningless. In addition, the word can be loaded with inference and has an emotional appeal to many individuals. So what does it mean when someone says we should deal with this at the local level?

One of the ways the word local has been used is to distinguish our state governments from the federal government. The roots of this go all the way back to the framing of the U.S. Constitution, which recognizes or gives authority to both federal and state levels of government. This relationship between the two governing authorities was based in the framers’ desire to build a system which did not consolidate power into the hands of a few but instead shared power between multiple governing structures.

This power sharing between federal and state level government was spelled out in the Constitution and then reinforced by the tenth Amendment. It defined the authority of the federal or national government and how it contrasted with the authority of local or state governments. This dynamic of power sharing still echoes in our governing processes today, and while the federal government has the jurisdiction to impose laws in certain areas, states were given the authority over all else, including things like education, state commerce and voting. This line between the two powers, state and federal, has shifted back and forth over time as the federal government has sought to impose power in new areas, such as anti-discrimination laws, and as states resisted this expansion.

This power sharing dynamic and the tension between federal and state governments is an ongoing and serious conversation. It permeates almost every political discussion, and when you look back over the history of the United States you can see its clear mark on how we govern. It is one of the reasons why we hear individuals talk about local control when they mean state level control. In other words, states are one way of keeping power locally centered so that our federal government does not overextend its control of civil life and impede our civil liberties, or our freedom from excessive government control.

However, in today’s complicated society state governments have become far more powerful than the framers could have imagined. Indeed there are states which have populations and GDPs larger than some countries. For instance, California and Texas were both ranked in the top 10 economies of the world in 2024! This suggests that their influence is far beyond something we might consider local. Which brings us to the third and much weaker form of government in the United States, what we more commonly refer to as our local government.

Local governments include municipalities, counties, special districts such as watershed or waste management districts and school districts. This form of “weak” government is expanding at a rapid pace. By the latest U.S. Census records, there are more than 90,000 of these local governments and they employ something like 14 million people. Their impact on our everyday lives is vast!

We call these local governments weak because they do not have sovereign authority to act on their own. Instead they are given power and authority by state governments, or in some cases the Federal government. Which means the ultimate authority does not rest with the local governing body. However, the fact that these local governments do not have sovereignty should not indicate they are unimportant, nor should we consider these governments unpowerful. They are a strong force of governing in the United States and one that is often unregulated.

These local governments are also not always small. Some local governments are enormous and rival state governments in their size and authority. For example, New York City’s budget is over 100 billion dollars and the city itself is larger than all but four U.S. states. Still, it is a true local government with no authority other than that which is given to it by the state of New York.

All these different forms of local government gives the U.S. its fascinating, but complex governing structure, which is part of why people sometimes have a hard time wrapping their minds around it. It is not uncommon to hear individuals talk about the government as though it is one solid block, operating in lock step, or misconstrue the term local to mean small and parochial. So, next time you hear someone using the term local government, take a moment to stop and consider exactly what the speaker is implying. Are they talking about a state government or a true local government? Are they talking about a small government highly connected to those who live in that jurisdiction or a government which is much more expansive? The way in which the term local government is being used can make all the difference, don’t let it confuse you.

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Author: Renée Cardarelle has a PhD in Management and Public Service from Hamline University with a focus on public participation in the governing process. In addition to her work in academia, Renée has also worked in the nonprofit sector and in grassroots organizing for more than twenty years.

 

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