HISTORY AND ROLE OF

COUNTIES

50440457.1

Article XI, § 4COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION. The legislature shall establish a system of county government, which shall be uniform throughout the state except as hereinafter provided.…

* * * *Any county may frame a “Home Rule” charter for its own government subject to the Constitution and the laws of this state….

Article XI, § 5

COUNTY GOVERNMENT. The legislature, by general and uniform laws, shall provide for the election in the several counties of boards of county commissioners, sheriffs, county clerks, treasurers, prosecuting attorneys and other county, township or precinct and district officers, as public convenience may require, and shall prescribe their duties, and fix their terms of office . . . .

Article XI, § 11

POLICE AND SANITARY REGULATIONS. Any county, city, town or township may make and enforce within its limits all such local police, sanitary and other regulations as are not in conflict with general laws.

Article XI, § 12

ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF TAXES IN MUNICIPALITIES. The legislature shall have no power to impose taxes upon counties, cities, towns or other municipal corporations, or upon the inhabitants or property thereof, for county, city, town or other municipal purposes, but may, by general laws, vest in the corporate authorities thereof, the power to assess and collect taxes for such purposes.

The Constitution and County Governance

• Uniform System of Government (except in Charter counties)

• Uniform Elected Officials

• Uniform Taxing Powers

KEY COUNTY RESPONSIBILITIES IN

THE 19TH CENTURY

TOWNSHIPS

• Road maintenance & snowplowing• Dog-catching & cow-catching• Cemeteries• River improvements• “Hawkers, peddlers, shows,

theatricals, circuses, merry-go-rounds, ferris wheels, or other amusement devices.”

WASHINGTON CONSTITUTIONART. IX - EDUCATION

§1 Preamble. It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.

§2 Public School System. The legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public schools. The public school system shall include common schools, and such high schools, normal schools, and technical schools as hereafter may be established. But the entire revenue derived from the common school fund and the state tax for common schools shall be exclusively applied to the support of the common schools.

County Supt. of Schools

• Oversaw all public schools within the county.

• Replaced in 1969 by educational service districts.

PROGRESSIVISMAND

“GOOD GOVERNMENT”

(EARLY 20TH CENTURY)

THE GREAT DEPRESSION

Counties under take a much larger social service role than before.

Post-World War II Expansion &

Suburbanization

• The rise of regionalism, regional services, and land-use controls.

• Increased county role in providing utility services.

NEW EMPHASIS ON THE

ENVIRONMENT

DUAL NATURE OF COUNTIES

• Political Subdivisions of the State (carrying out State-mandated jobs)

• Local Government Service Providers

Political Subdivisions: State-Mandated Responsibilities

• Courts

• Prosecuting Attorneys

• Tax Collections

• Elections

• Public Health

• Human Services

• Education (until 1969)

Local Government Services

• Law Enforcement

• Roads & Road Districts

• Transportation & Transit

• Parks

• Water, Sewer & Stormwater

MODES OF COUNTY AUTHORTY

• Police Powers

• General Governmental Services

• Proprietary Powers

•Corporate (“Toolbox”) Powers

So Many Jobs…

…not enough tools…

…and not enough money!