The people you elect to your city council, or board of aldermen or board of trustees, make decisions about what will go in your new park, whether you can open a restaurant near a school and so much more. They also share a lot of power with other levels of government, and can really shape the political landscape in your community.
While the mayor carries out many of the city’s day-to-day functions, the council acts as a coequal branch of government and is in charge of providing oversight of agencies like the police department and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. It does so through the committees it creates and oversees – 35 standing, select and subcommittees in total, according to the council’s website. Each council member also sits on one or more of these groups. They also have their own caucuses — a group of fellow council members with shared interests, to ensure that the needs of their constituents are heard.
Some of the council’s recent accomplishments have been hailed as signs that it is fulfilling its role as a check on the administration, from pushing through a package expanding eligibility for CityFHEPS housing vouchers to passing a bill requiring mental health professionals in family shelters. But others have criticized the council for not being more aggressive in its investigations, such as by issuing subpoenas to compel city officials to testify and produce documents during public hearings.
It might be time for the council to take a fresh look at its tools and resources, some say. But despite the criticism, observers still believe it’s a strong body.
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