If you live in a city, you’re governed by a council. Your city council makes decisions about your taxes, how new parks and affordable housing are built, whether local gas stations can have gaming machines, and everything in between. They’re also a check on the mayor in cities with a shared executive and legislative system, and they set priorities for government agencies. They also make big budget decisions — going over the proposed city manager’s budget with a fine-tooth comb, proposing new programs like a needle exchange program or funding to expand the afterschool program, and determining how much money will be spent on things like police, fire, and garbage collection.
The exact structure of a city council can vary quite a bit, though. Some have an at-large system, where all city residents vote for each of the council members, and others are split into districts or wards, with one council member representing each area. In some places, council members run as part of a political party – like Republicans or Democrats – and their views might reflect that, or they might be nonpartisan.
City councils often work in committees, which are smaller groups that study particular topics. Each council member is assigned – through a vote by all council members – to serve on at least one standing or select committee, and may be asked to sit on more than that. Most of the work in committees is done through meetings and hearings focused on human services, infrastructure, or government affairs.