The New England town meeting and school district meeting are the only direct democracy institutions in the United States involving lawmaking by assembled voters. Law making by assembled adult males dates to the age of Pericles in Greece in the fifth century B.C. But the only other currently assembled voters’ lawmaking body is the Landsgemeinde in … Read More
What level of government should exercise what kinds of authority? That question has been vigorously debated throughout U.S. history. Indeed, the U.S. Constitution itself represented a radical departure from the nation’s original governance structure under the Articles of Confederation from 1776 to 1789. The Constitution established the supremacy of the federal government vis-a-vis the states, and … Read More
Texas has created a Unified Development Budget — an annual statement to the legislature with all forms of spending itemized in one place. All tax credits (such as those for investment, job creation, enterprise zones or research and development), all tax exemptions (such as sales and utility tax breaks)and all appropriated spending (such as training, manufacturing extension services, loans and loan guarantees).… Read More
The conduct of Marshfield’s Town Meeting is dictated by Federal and State law, the Town’s Charter and By-Laws, local tradition, and the publication entitled, "Town Meeting Time."… Read More
All officers of the city, as defined in section 1207, and all employees of the city and any and all agencies and instrumentalities thereof, including all employees of the school department and the department of public safety, shall be residents of the city during such employment… Read More
Montana had a ban on corporate contributions to ballot issue campaigns until 1976, when it was thrown out by the courts. In 1996, however, Montana voters approved Initiative I-125, reinstating the ban, with 52% of the vote.
Passed by Wayne Township, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania by a 3-0 vote in 1998, this ordinance is primarily a "three strikes and you’re out" ordinance. It applies to all corporations that want to "do business" in the Township, and also(controversially) applies to corporations already doing business in the Township. In essence, the Ordinance prevents any corporation from doing business in the Township if it has a "history of consistent violations." … Read More
Whereas, the City of Northampton has a long and distinguished history of protecting and expanding civil rights and civil liberties, often being a beacon for our country’s citizens when liberties are threatened;… Read More
The Barnstead Water Rights and Local Self-Government Ordinance[Warrant Article 31] was presented and passed at the Barnstead Town Meeting on March 18, 2006. The ordinance declares that water is a common resource for the residents of Barnstead and prohibits corporate water withdrawals for resale.… Read More