Local Politics ─ A Practical Guide To Governing At The Grassroots

Along with the surprising news that the mayor of Beverly Hills, California makes $7,858 per year but the city manager of the same locale makes $240,000, Christensen (political science, San Jose State U.) and Hogen-Esch (political science, California State U. Northridge) give students and general readers a hands-on approach to community-based governance. This edition, updated to include recent trends and data, describes a variety of communities, including counties, special districts and school districts, suburbia and the Sunbelt. Topics include the urban places and their impact on local politics, where people live and why, and the inter-governmental environments; official decision-makers from the days of the weak mayors and machines to city managers, legislators, executives and bureaucracy; elections, influence and power from outside city hall; and budget politics, public policy and regional-level government, including the getting and spending of money, local issues and battles and the future of local government. Annotation c2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)