Local Government in Connecticut, Third Edition

Foreword

ForEword This third edition of Local Government in Connecticut is published by Wesleyan University Press in cooperation with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM). The original edition was published in 1992 by the Institute of Local Government of the University of Connecticut. In 2001, the CCM published the second edition with numerous updates. This edition updates these previous editions, and greatly expands them. Several new chapters have been added, since local government has changed significantly since 9/11. In 2000, in recognition of the important role of civics in daily life, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act 00-156, mandating a half credit in civics and American government as a prerequisite for graduation for Connecticut high school students. The authors of this book are providing a service to all citizens of Connecticut by giving them a book that can be used by just about anyone to gain a better understanding of the many facets of local government and how local government functions (and sometimes how it doesn’t). They have done this with the conviction that a more informed citizenry is more engaged and produces a better society. Local government is more than just a mechanism for providing local services. For those who serve as volunteers in myriad local-government capacities, service is not just a pastime but a major focus of their lives. Indeed, in Connecticut and throughout New England, local-government discussions take place year-round, and often they are quite heated. Local government is immediate; we face it every day. Chapter 1 brings home this point. The battles in Washington over policy issues pale when it comes to the decisions on whether to renovate or close a local school, create a new park, allow a new business to come into town, install a microwave tower, open a recycling center, hire or fire a police chief, raise the mill rate, or, as is done annually, adopt the local budget. This edition has been expanded significantly, and includes new sections on topics such as homeland security, geographic information systems (GIS), public school education including school business operations, municipal attorneys, and even harbormasters. It still contains information on the viii Foreword basics of local government such as what local officials do, how taxes are calculated, where the money comes from and how it is spent, and what the relationship is between state and local government. In keeping with the tradition of the first two editions, chapters are short, concise, and written for a general reader. Wesleyan University Press is proud to publish the third edition of Local Government in Connecticut. Suzanna Tamminen director And editor-in-chief WesleyAn University press ...