Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

somberblurb t1_irp1adg wrote

Others have explained the Township system.

Here are some more helpful notes about PA local governments:

  • Boroughs are carved out of Townships but are independent from Townships. They're usually more densely populated but not always. They're like small cities/towns. Sometimes the dense population spills over into adjacent Townships.

  • Cities are less common but are also carved out of Townships and independent from Townships. There's also one Town in the state which is basically a City.

  • Villages are purely geographic, they have no governmental/administrative functions

  • Philadelphia is a combined "city of the first class" and county.

  • Basically, townships, boroughs, and cities are all municipalities. Counties are divided into municipalities. Every square inch of PA is in both one municipality and one county.

  • School districts are organized along municipal borders but are independent of municipal/county governments. They sometimes cross county lines. The School District of Philadelphia is the exception; their school board is appointed by the Mayor.

  • No, Pennsylvania does not "have Townships because we're a Commonwealth." I hear this from people who have lived here awhile and it makes no sense. Virginia and Kentucky are Commonwealths and have very few governmental units besides counties.

7

soldiernerd t1_irp8652 wrote

And Massachusetts!

2

IamSauerKraut t1_irsom0s wrote

In MA, counties and municipalities are organized and run separately. Cities are chartered whereas towns are not. Counties used to have more power and functions, but were curbed in about 30 years ago. Counties do not run the towns. Addresses are not based on the location of the post office (one feature of PA that I really dislike). Most towns have an annual Town Meeting where elected residents can vote on various budget items. School districts are NOT separate taxing organizations. They either get approval from the Board of Selectmen (and sometimes Town Meeting) or go back to the drawing board.

3

soldiernerd t1_irsorb0 wrote

It's a commonwealth along with PA, KY, VA was the point

1

IamSauerKraut t1_irsqxu8 wrote

Was addressing the last part in that same sentence.

1

soldiernerd t1_irsrvh5 wrote

The last part of what

1

IamSauerKraut t1_irswtrm wrote

>Was addressing the last part in that same sentence.

right there

1

soldiernerd t1_irsxbxu wrote

the sentence "And Massachusetts!"?

Or did you mean to reply to the OP instead of me?

1

IamSauerKraut t1_irtg2t2 wrote

I replied to whomever I replied to for whatever reason I decided to reply. Why you are such an ass about it should not be a problem for me. If you cannot understand, just move along and bugger some other person.

1

soldiernerd t1_irtgiyv wrote

Ah so you were answering a different post than the one you replied to

1

IamSauerKraut t1_irtrmnb wrote

Ah, no, you reacted without thought and then decided to be a dick about it instead of admitting you misunderstood. Move along now, dingus.

1

somberblurb t1_iru1z3j wrote

My point was to identify the Commonwealths that don't have lots of municipal level governments.

1

Illustrious_Air_1438 t1_irudyol wrote

New England's town meeting system is interesting, it's one of the few areas where direct democracy is used.

1

PPQue6 t1_irpllh6 wrote

Seriously how can you forget them!

1