Key Points
  • Budgets: Budget transparency is key to budgetary accountability in local government. Taxpayers should know where their money goes.
  • Tax Reform: Competitive tax and fiscal policies are vital to a community’s future. With the right set of policies in place, lower-tax communities can attract much-needed human and financial capital from higher-tax communities that penalize wealth creation.
  • Regulatory Reform: Virtually every facet of our lives is somehow touched by government regulations. The food, cars drive, work, and even mattresses are regulated by some level of government, often at great cost to the consumer. While safety is paramount, regulations should be transparent, fair, and impose minimal financial burdens on businesses and families.
  • Education: An excellent education has long been recognized as key to the American Dream, however the current system isn’t working. States and local governments are leading the charge on student and community centered education, rather than the propping up the unsustainable systems failing parents and students.
  • Criminal Justice: Local governments play a vital role in implementing criminal justice reform starting with courts & sheriffs. With state and local officials working together, it is possible to reduce recidivism rates and promote community-based alternatives to lengthy jail stays for non-violent offenders.
  • Transportation: Maintaining a functional and healthy infrastructure is one of the cornerstones to economic growth. Local transportation policy should encourage the use of public-private partnerships to build and maintain infrastructure, give localities the flexibility to determine how to best utilize transportation dollars and remove unnecessary burdens to innovation.

While all eyes look to Washington and the state capitals for answers, often times the government closest to home can come up with the best solutions. Local government is a key thread in the fabric of American government, fostering an approach to problem solving that puts communities first. In states with thousands of cities and municipalities, it is impossible for even the state elected officials to have intimate knowledge of each and every one of the vibrant communities that they serve. As such, local decision makers are in a prime position to lead the charge on a variety of issues across the states ranging from budgets, tax reform and regulation reform to education, criminal justice and transportation.

Publications

  • Balancing ACCE cover

    Balancing State & Local Power

    Our Founding Fathers outlined their vision of how the government should be structured in the Federalist Papers and later enshrined…
  • 2018 ACCE Levers Power Book Cover_SM

    The Levers of Power in Local Government

    Though different in each state, municipal government in the United States is extremely important to the understanding of federalism.
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Model Policies

  • The School Board Election Date Act Final

    Section 1. Date of School Board Elections (A) The date of a school district’s election for members of its board of education shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, simultaneously with the general election. (B) Replacement of school board members…

  • ACCE Model County Code Ordinance Final

    IN THE MATTER OF REPEALING AND REENACTING, WITH AMENDMENTS, CHAPTER____ ZONING, OF THE ______ CITY/COUNTY CODE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF CITY/COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY/COUNTY OF _________, STATE OF ______________: WHEREAS, the Board of Council/County Commissioners of the City/County of ________, State of ______________, pursuant to _______________…

  • Statement of Principles on Illegal Possession of Private Property Final

    Squatting in the United States is the unauthorized use of real estate. Historically, squatting occurred during the settlement of the Midwest when colonial European settlers established land rights and during the California Gold Rush. There was squatting during the Great Depression in Hoovervilles and also during World War II. Shanty towns returned to the US after the …

  • Resolution To Adopt The “Think Differently” Initiative To Assist Individuals With Special Needs And Their Families Final

    WHEREAS, the “Think Differently” initiative is about promoting awareness and acceptance of all people, and advocating for the inclusion of all individuals living on the Autism Spectrum and with special needs; and WHEREAS, our state and communities are stronger because of our diversity and differences; and WHEREAS, according to the…

  • Taxpayer Transparency Act Final

    Be it enacted by the Legislature of the [COUNTY] as follows: Section I. [Chapter] of the Code of [COUNTY] is hereby added as provided hereinafter: TAXPAYER TRANSPARENCY 1 Title. 2 Legislative intent. 3 Definitions. 4 Searchable budget database website created. 5 Updates. 6 Compliance with Act. 7 Electronic public access…

  • Local Taxpayer Protection Act Final

    Be it enacted by the Legislature of [COUNTY] as follows: Section 1. Local Taxpayer Protection Act. (A) Should the annual operating budget result in an increase in property tax levy, adoption by the Legislature shall require a vote of two-thirds of the total Legislature. (B) The…

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Task Forces

American City County Exchange

American City County Exchange The American City County Exchange (ACCE) is America’s only non-partisan forum for local government…