A city council is the legislative branch of a municipal government. It may also be known as a city board, borough council, town board, village council, or board of aldermen, depending on the location and classification of the municipality. The council makes laws for – wait for it – your city, holds public hearings, and helps decide how money will be spent. The council also sets local rules like zoning (can you turn that old factory into apartments?), and creates boards and commissions to solve complex problems or make decisions about land use.
Generally, city councils are elected in some way, though the exact way varies by place. Some cities have an at-large system in which every resident votes for all council members, while others are divided into districts or wards and one council member represents those residents. Whether they’re elected or appointed, council members often work with the mayor or city manager on budgetary issues and advocate for their boroughs.
While the administration might garner more headlines, city council has been hard at work this session, passing bills aimed at tackling the city’s housing crisis, holding dozens of oversight hearings on the Adams administration, and trying – with mixed success – to claw back cuts in budget negotiations with the mayor’s team. It’s still early, but advocates and council members say they have long lists of unfinished business that they plan to tackle in 2022. If you want to learn more about what your city council is up to, tune in to debates, attend a town hall, or start with the council’s official website.