Civics Education
Local Government in Virginia
Questions to Consider:
Which of the public services provided by our local governments do you consider to be most important? Why?
Most of our local governments are governed by non-professional elected officials and assisted by professional administrators; do you think this model provides the most efficient and democratic structure of government? Why?
What arguments are generally put forward for a city to consider reverting back to a town?
References
Fields, M. J., & Wiley, S. (Eds.), (2004). Handbook for Virginia mayors and council members. Charlottesville, VA: Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
Morgan, A. M., & Giesen, Jr., A. R. (2012). Local governments in Virginia: A unique arrangement. In A. M. Morgan & A. R. Giesen, Jr. (Eds.), Governing Virginia (pp. 187-188). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.
Smith, K., & Balzer, A. (Eds.), (2011). State and local government: 2011-12 edition. Washington, DC: Sage.
Stenberg, C. W., & Lipman, S. (Eds.), (2007). Managing local government services: A practical guide. Austin, TX: ICMA Press.
Video Image Credits
Dr. Dan Thorp – Video Image Credits
Image 1. Patrick Henry Arguing the Parson’s Cause at Hanover County Courthouse, by George Cook c. 1834. Credit: Virginia Historical Society (1965.2).
http://www.vahistorical.org.
Image 2. Ct. House–Hillsville. Credit: Prints & Photograph Division, Library of Congress.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/ggb2004010243/.
Image 3. Patrick Henry Arguing... Credit: Virginia Historical Society (1965.2).
http://www.vahistorical.org.
Image 4. Patrick Henry Arguing... Credit: Virginia Historical Society (1965.2).
http://www.vahistorical.org.
Image 5. John Forrest Dillon from Notable New Yorkers of 1896-1899: a companion volume to King's handbook of New York City (1899) by Moses King. Credit: Internet Archive. http://www.librarything.com/pic/201478.
http://www.archive.org/stream/notablenewyorker01king#page/102/mode/2up/search/dillon.
Image 6. Perspective Map of the City of Waynesboro, Va. Credit: Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3884w.pm009650.
Mr. Gregory Kelly – Video Image Credits
Image 1. “A new and accurate map of Virginia wherein most of the counties are laid down from actual surveys.” Credit: Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3880.ct000431.
Image 2. GIS mapping. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Image 3. Charles Ashburner in The Bemidji Daily Pioneer, May 01, 1914, page 4. Credit: Chronicling America: Historic American Newspaper Collection, Library of Congress. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86063381/1914-05-01/ed-1/seq-4/.
Image 4. Perspective Map of the City of Staunton, VA. Credit: Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3884s.pm009630.
Image 5. Virginia State Capitol. Credit: Robert Burgholzer.
Image 6. John Forrest Dillon from Notable New Yorkers of 1896-1899: a companion volume to King's handbook of New York City (1899) by Moses King. Credit: Internet Archive. http://www.librarything.com/pic/201478.
http://www.archive.org/stream/notablenewyorker01king#page/102/mode/2up/search/dillon.
Image 7. John Forrest Dillon from Notable New Yorkers of 1896-1899: a companion volume to King's handbook of New York City (1899) by Moses King. Credit: Internet Archive.
http://www.librarything.com/pic/201478.
http://www.archive.org/stream/notablenewyorker01king#page/102/mode/2up/search/dillon.
Image 8. Road maintenance. Credit: David Hicks.
Image 9. Road maintenance. Credit: David Hicks.
Image 10. City center sign. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Image 11. Norfolk skyline. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Image 12. Bridgewater aerial. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Mr. Kenneth Chandler – Video Image Credits
Image 1. City Council meeting. Credit: LaVoris Pace, City of Portsmouth.
Mr. Kimball Payne and Ms. Bonnie Svrcek – Video Image Credits
Image 1. Downtown market area. Credit: David Hicks.
Image 2. Residential construction map. Credit: David Hicks.
Image 3. Broadway pipeline. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Image 4. Harrisonburg Street. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Image 5. Residential construction map. Credit: David Hicks.
Image 6. Alexandria. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Image 7. GIS mapping. Credit: Virginia Municipal League.
Image 8. City Council meeting. Credit: LaVoris Pace, City of Portsmouth.
Image 9. Budget revenues chart. Credit: Bob Stripling.
Image 10. Budget expenditure chart. Credit: Bob Stripling.