Transcript Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge

Citizenship in the Community
Merit Badge
Requirement 3
by: David Seitz
Why I’m Doing This
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For Communications Merit Badge, I
have to teach a skill
I am very interested in politics and
government
I decided to put my interest to work for
all of us by teaching you everything you
need to know for Citizenship in the
Community Merit Badge requirement 3
Requirement 3A
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Chart the organization of your local or
state government. Show the top offices
and tell which are elected or appointed.
This presentation is an outline of state,
county, and municipal government
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You can use the outline to make a chart
and then talk to Mr. Hallberg or another
Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge
Counselor.
State and Types of Local
Governments
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State Government
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County Government
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Municipal (City) Government
Branches of American
Government
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Executive Branch – Helps to create laws
and to enforce existing laws
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Legislative Branch – Creates laws
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Judicial Branch – Revises existing laws
and helps to enforce laws
State Government – Executive
Branch
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Executive Branch – Governor and
Administration
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Governor – Elected by people to a 4-year
term
Governor’s Cabinet and Administration –
Help governor with policy, appointed by
governor, approved by legislature
The Cabinet is composed of departments,
while the rest of the administration is
composed of committees and such
State Government – Executive
Branch, Continued
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Constitutional Officers – Parts of the executive
branch required by the state constitution, all of
whom are elected every 4 years
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Lieutenant Governor – Serves as governor when
governor is impeached, incapacitated, or out of state
Attorney General – State’s top law enforcement and
prosecution officer
Secretary of State – Does a variety of things for the state
Treasurer – Collects, gives out the Money
Superintendent of Public Instruction – To assist and set
standards for all public schools.
State Government –
Legislative Branch
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Legislative Branch – Legislature
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Assembly (99 Equally Populated
Area Districts)
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Senate (33 Equally Populated Area
Districts Composed of 3 Assembly
Districts Each)
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Representatives elected every two
years
Senators elected every four years
Legislators meet to set the state
budget and create laws
State Government – Judicial
Branch
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Judicial Branch –Court of Appeals
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Court of Appeals – Cases appealed from county
circuit courts
There are four districts, each centered around a
major city. The cities are: Madison, Milwaukee,
Waukesha, and Wausau
There are sixteen judges
The Judges are elected to 6-year terms
Three-Judge panels hear every appeals case, but
some criminal cases are tried there
State Government – Judicial
Branch, Continued
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Supreme Court – Cases appealed from
appeals courts
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There are 7 Justices
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The Justices are elected to 10-year terms
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The governor appoints if there is a death or
vacancy
County Government –
Executive Branch
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There are 72 Counties in Wisconsin
We live in Milwaukee County
Executive Branch – County Executive, County
Administrator, or County Board Chairperson
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County Executive – All counties bigger with at least
500,000 people are required to have an elected leader,
and some of the smaller counties have them too
County Board Chairperson – Sometimes the leader of the
county board is also the county’s administrative
coordinator
County Government –
Legislative Branch
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Legislative Branch – County Board of Supervisors
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Each represents an equally populated area district of the
county
The Board’s chairperson is sometimes also the county
administrator
There are 25 supervisors in Milwaukee county
County Boards range in size from Menominee County (7
members) to Dane and Outgamie Counties (tied for 39
members)
County Government – Judicial
Branch
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Judicial Branch – County Circuit Courts
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The county circuit courts hear most criminal and
civil cases about violating state law or county
ordinance, and appealed cases from municipal
courts
There are 69 circuits (three pairs of counties share
courts) in the state
There are 241 circuit court judges in Wisconsin,
because all counties need more than one circuit
court judge
All judges are elected to 6-year terms
Municipal Government –
Executive Branch
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Mayors, Village Presidents, or other Municipal
Leaders
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City leaders are elected by the people, usually to
two-year or four-year terms
Mayors of smaller towns are often paid part-time
Mayors enforce and help create new city laws,
which are called ordinances
A mayor’s administration, which may contain many
city departments, helps him or her to do this
Municipal Government –
Legislative & Judicial Branches
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City Common Council
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The common council of a city is composed of
elected aldermen
It makes the city’s ordinances and controls its
budget
Municipal Courts
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Municipal Judges are usually elected, but not
always
Municipal Court deals with criminal cases that
violate city ordinances. (ex. Illegal Parking)
Requirement 3B
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Name the political parties in your
community government and list four
persons active in the politics of your
community and what positions they
hold.
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Political parties are illegal for most city and
county offices in Milwaukee County
I have links to websites so you can learn
more about our elected officials
Internet Resources
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http://www.ci.wauwatosa.wi.us/ -- The
Official City of Wauwatosa Website
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At the top there’s a link called “Elected Officials.”
This was really helpful – it lists the mayor and all
the aldermen, and there’s even a map, so you can
find what aldermanic district you live in!
http://www.wauwatosaschools.com/ -- The
Official Wauwatosa Public School District
Website
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On the left side there’s a heading called “School
Board.” You’ll find the names and positions of the
school board members at the link below it called
“Board Members.”
Internet Resources, Continued
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http://www.co.milwaukee.wi.us/ -- The
Official County of Milwaukee Website
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On the right side there are links to the County
Executive and the County Board of Supervisors.
(Hint: Wauwatosa is in the 20th and a small part
of the 15th Supervisory Districts)
http://www.bsatroop21waumc.org/ -- The
Official Troop 21 Website
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There’s an announcement and a link to my
powerpoint presentation and handouts online, so
if you missed anything, don’t worry!
If you don’t have the
internet…
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You can go to the Wauwatosa public
library and use the internet there
You can ask them to direct you to the
pamphlet file on Wauwatosan history or
politics.
The End
Aww… It’s over already?