Arizona’s County Governments and Municipalities

Government and Municipalities
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Introduction
Arizona has several local governments, including counties, municipalities, and districts. The local governments are approximately seventeen thousand (State of Arizona, 2022). In addition, there are twenty-one tribal governments in Arizona State, which derive power from the national government (State of Arizona, 2022). While the local governments are several in number and area, they can only exercise the powers that are granted to them through the laws and constitution of the State. However, attaining a home-rule charter makes some local governments enjoy significant autonomy. These governments can execute power more independently through the home-rule charter, including taxation and regulation. Apparently, out of the fifteen existing Arizona counties, none are facilitated by the home-rule charter. Only twenty cities in take pride in having the charters (State of Arizona, 2022). The essay will critically address the differences between Arizona’s county governments and municipal organizations, including their responsibilities and benefits to the local population.
County Governments
There was a time when the cities were far-flung and very small. At that time, the state government could not fulfill some of its responsibilities, such as taxation and enforcement of laws. Therefore, county governments were developed to fix that gap. The counties became the State’s administrative arms. They were to facilitate all state services on an efficient regional base. Arizona’s counties perform several core functions, defined as state services for the local population. One of the county government's responsibilities is to conduct an assessment and facilitate the collection of property taxes (Arizona Association of Counties, 2022). Further, they oversee the building and maintenance of roads, bridges, and other social infrastructure. Transportation and safety for the local population are therefore improved and made easier. The locals can perform their businesses more swiftly and smoothly, which enhances their economy and well-being.
The county governments also oversee programs to improve the environment and reduce air pollution. Air pollution is among the leading factors for respiratory illnesses in Arizona. Therefore, these programs can solve the problem and reduce the incidences of these illnesses. In addition to promoting environmental health, county governments also oversee public health promotion and inspection programs (Arizona Association of Counties, 2022). The local population is therefore protected from public health concerns such as communicable illnesses. County governments are tasked with conducting elections and maintaining voter registration details (Arizona Association of Counties, 2022). By doing so, they facilitate calm, fair, and peaceful elections. County governments are also in charge of operatin...