County Government
Counties are one of America’s oldest forms of government, dating back to 1634 when the first county governments (shires) were established in Virginia. The organization and structure of today’s 3,069 county governments are chartered under state constitutions or laws and are tailored to fit the needs and characteristics of states and local areas.
Three thousand thirty-one (3,031) organized county governments are found throughout the nation, except in Connecticut, Rhode Island, the District of Columbia, and limited portions of other states where certain county areas lack a distinct county government for 2012. In Louisiana, the county governments are officially designated as “parish” governments, and the “borough” governments in Alaska resemble county governments in other states. Both are classified as county governments for Census Bureau statistics on governments.
No two counties are exactly the same. Counties are diverse in structure and how they deliver services. In general, states decide the roles and responsibilities of county governments. Counties are governed by locally elected officials and, in some instances, operate under home rule authority, which allows for more local flexibility and control with structural, functional and fiscal powers. Though organizational structures vary, all county governments are on the front lines of delivering vital services to residents.
County governments are organized local governments authorized in state constitutions and statutes and established to provide general government; includes those governments designed as counties, parishes in Louisiana, and boroughs in Alaska.
The county is a subdivision of the state, usually — but not always — containing two or more townships and several villages. New York City is so large that it is divided into five separate boroughs, each a county in its own right: the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. On the other hand, Los Angeles County, with nearly 10 million people, includes 88 municipalities with their own local governments as well as large unincorporated areas that the county governs directly.
In most U.S. counties, one town or city is designated as the county seat, and this is where the government offices are located and where the board of commissioners or supervisors meets. In small counties, boards are chosen by the county as a whole; in the larger ones, supervisors represent separate districts or townships. The board levies taxes; borrows and appropriates money; fixes the salaries of county employees; supervises elections; builds and maintains highways and bridges; and administers national, state, and county welfare programs.
Transportation and infrastructure are core public sector responsibilities that impact everything from our daily commutes to shipping goods around the globe. From building and maintaining roads and bridges to providing efficient transit options, counties are a driving force connecting communities and strengthening our economy. Counties play a major role in other essential community infrastructure like schools, hospitals, jails, courthouses, parks and water purification and sewage systems.
Counties invest heavily in local residents’ health and well-being, often serving as a safety net for low-income and indigent residents. County health departments protect our residents and communities by offering a wide range of services like administering flu shots, providing health information and preventing and responding to public health emergencies. Counties also often have significant responsibilities for behavioral and mental health services and care.
Counties play a major role in two distinct areas of justice and public safety: emergency response and preparedness and the criminal justice system. Counties keep communities safe by providing law enforcement and preventing crime. From patrolling the streets, to operating and maintaining county detention facilities, to serving as the arm of the county courts, county sheriffs and other law enforcement departments are on the front lines of public safety and the criminal justice system. Other key county players are judges, district attorneys, public defenders, court clerks, jail directors, 911 operators and coroners.
There are some cases where municipal and county governments have been consolidated or substantially merged. The composite units are counted as municipal governments in Census Bureau statistics on governments. There also exist cities that are located outside of any “county” area and are administering functions elsewhere commonly performed by counties. This includes the cities of Baltimore and St. Louis, which are outside the areas of the adjacent counties of Baltimore and St. Louis. Carson City, Nevada is an independent city that borders three counties: Douglas, Lyon, and Washoe. In Virginia, there are 39 independent cities that are not part of any county.
County governments were abolished in Connecticut. The state legislature exercised much control over the county governments that, in effect, curtailed their power. The state legislature had the authority to re-configure county government's structure, control, and powers and the legislature changed county government frequently. County government, had an appointed three-member board of commissioners with little authority and an elected sheriff (a portion which still exists). They did not have the direct authority to tax except for an annual levy for towns within county boundaries. Eventually, county government functions were transferred to newly-created state agencies until almost no county government functions remained. County government was formally abolished by Public Act 152 during the 1959 legislative session for a variety of reasons most notably their ineffectiveness.
When county governments were formally abolished on October 1, 1960, they only had one major source of authority left: jail keeping. Other county government functions at that time were: (1) maintenance of state courthouse buildings; (2) inspection of weights and measures; (3) adjustment of road disputes; and, (4) administration of certain types of trust funds, such as cemetery trust funds. These remaining ministerial functions and property were taken over by the state and the relatively few county employees in existence were absorbed into state civil service positions.
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