What Is a General Law County

After the California Supreme Court ruled in the Guardino case (12/95), a board of directors cannot impose new taxes without a vote of the people. Subject to a vote, a board of directors may levy a use tax, a business license tax, and a temporary occupancy tax (hotel or bed tax). If the proceeds of these taxes are intended for general purposes, the consent of the majority of voters is required. If tax revenues are limited for special purposes, two-thirds of the voter`s consent is required. The Council has the power to levy taxes only in the unincorporated area. Proposition 218, passed in November 1996, imposes additional restrictions on county tax administration, as well as fees and assessments. The California Constitution authorizes a county to enact and enforce local ordinances that do not conflict with general laws. A county also has the power to sue and be sued, to purchase and hold land, to manage or dispose of its property, and to collect and collect such taxes as may be permitted by law. Many additional powers were transferred to the counties by the legislature. The powers of a district may be exercised only by the supervisory board or by officials acting under the authority of the board or an authority delegated by law. In addition, the board of directors must follow the rules of procedure of the articles, otherwise its actions will not be valid. For example, if the legislator has provided for a method by which a county may leave a highway, that method must be followed. Even though state law requires zoning of land use through an ordinance, this legally required method is binding on the county.

On the other hand, if the law does not prescribe a specific method of performing a task, the county may take all reasonably appropriate means. The roles and functions of these units are primarily related to planning for future developments and related service needs (e.g., water, sewer) and impacts (e.g., air quality, airport security). Board members of one of these units can make decisions on a variety of issues, ranging from regional planning to establishing spheres of influence for new cities or special county districts. There is a fundamental difference between a county and a city. Counties do not have extensive self-government powers that California cities have (for example, cities have broad revenue-generating powers and counties do not). In addition, legislative control over counties is more complete than over cities. Unless otherwise provided in the Constitution of the State, the Legislature may delegate to the counties all functions belonging to the State itself. Conversely, the State may take over and take over the tasks it has delegated to the counties (e.g. State funding of the courts of first instance). The control exercised by the board of supervisors over elected officials is somewhat more limited. The district prosecutor, as prosecutor, is a state or semi-public official and is under the direct authority of the attorney general. Consequently, the Board of Supervisors has no power of control over the tasks of the Public Prosecutor`s Office.

On the other hand, the council has a general power of supervision over the district prosecutor to the extent that the district prosecutor acts as a district official. If a Board of Supervisors decides to impose or increase a particular tax, levy or fee, it must comply with the appropriate notification and consultation requirements. Each of these types of local revenue sources has different accounting and disclosure obligations. The Commission asks the Clerk and the District Attorney at the beginning of the process to ensure that all open hearing and disclosure requirements are met. In the local government systems of some U.S. states, a general law municipality,[1] a common law city,[1] a code of law city,[2] or a statutory city[3] is a municipality whose structure and governmental powers are defined by the general law of its state. This is in contrast to a charter city or autonomous city, whose governance structure and powers are defined by a municipal charter. The California Constitution recognizes two types of counties: general counties and charter counties. General counties comply with state laws regarding the number and duties of elected county officials.

Charter districts, on the other hand, have a limited degree of “autonomous” authority, which may provide for the election, remuneration, conditions, removal and salary of the board of directors; for the election or appointment (except for the sheriff, district attorney and assessor, who must be elected), the remuneration, office and removal of all county officers; for the powers and duties of all officers; and for the consolidation and segregation of district offices.