Blog entry #5: Response

 Larry Feirman State & Local Government

January 31, 2021 Week 3- Module 3 - #5

Blog entry #5: Read and reflect on Chapter 10 of your textbook, State-Local Relations. 

Q: Why is there tension between the state and local levels of government

A: There are a number of issues, laws and rules that create and exacerbates the situation between state and local governmental domains.  Following the outline of our textbook, the first issue would be the “Distribution of Authority”.  Dillion’s rule of 1868, established that local government may exercise only those powers explicitly granted to them by the state, those clearly implied by these explicit powers, and those absolutely essential to the declared legality of a specific local government power…..”

It goes without saying that when one’s authority or power is limited or directed from a hierarchal body, there is bound to be issues.  There is most always a matter of interpretation on the part of local entities of the intent of state law.  Take for instance “home rule”, which gives local government legal liability to run its own affairs,” subject to state oversight”; right, there is a cause for issues and infighting.  Local governments have their laws(ordinances), which is the equivalent of law; there again an issue that can turn into a debate.

There is an ongoing tug of war between the state and local governments where state dictates to local governments require funding, administrative support that local government does not have or cannot support financially.  The state government has the authority to transfer authority to local governments via a “second-order devolution. This process may not always be an easy one to facilitate of pass.

The financial aspect of any relationship can be tenuous and that is no exception in the case of state and local governments and their complicated relationship.  In some cases, regionalism is the answer by local governments to band together in their approach to the state.

We are seeing this process played out during the pandemic.  States have asked the federal government to support certain requirements as their funding has declined sharply from lack of property and business tax collection.  In turn local governments had essential worker requirements that cannot be funded by the state.  Not only do we have tug of war, we also have fewer funds to allocate to local governments.