Municipal Government

The Connecticut Constitution states: "The General Assembly shall by general law delegate such legislative authority as ... it deems appropriate to towns, cities, and boroughs relative to powers, organizations, and form of government of such political subdivisions."

There are 169 towns in Connecticut. These incorporated municipalities cover all 5,009 square miles of the state. Union is the smallest with 546 residents, and Bridgeport the largest with 142,546 residents. They range in size from 5.3 square miles (Derby) to 64.4 square miles (New Milford). Each has at least one thing in common: they are all empowered by state statute and/or municipal charter to provide their residents a full range of services usually associated with municipal government.

[In the name of efficiency, county governments were eliminated on October 1, 1960. A more basic reason for the elimination of the eight counties was that they had few remaining responsibilities. During the sixty years preceding 1970 many of the powers previously delegated to counties had been assured by the state: highways (1895); police (1903); liquor (1933); welfare (1955); and finally correction jails (1960). The only authority left to the counties were the county sheriffs' offices, which exist to this day and are the last bastions of true political patronage.]

While there is considerable variation among Connecticut's municipal government structure there are three basic structures which have been adopted (Parentheses indicates number of municipalities which have adopted a particular form of government).

Mayor-council< (43): The chief executive, who heads the executive branch, is elected as is a representative legislative body, often elected by wards or districts. Mayor-council forms of government are often characterized as either "weak mayor" "strong mayor," based on the authority of the mayor. In weak mayor-council governments, key administrative officials are either elected or appointed by the legislative body. An independent board (board of finance) prepares the municipal budget which is submitted to and approved by the legislative body. In strong mayor-council governments, the mayor has clear authority to appoint and remove department heads and prepare the budget to be approved by the council.

Council-manager (31): In the council-manager type, the legislative body (council) is usually relatively small and appoints the town or city manager. The manager, who serves at the council's pleasure, generally appoints department directors and prepares budget for the council to approve.

Selectman-town meeting (95): The selectman-town meeting is unique to New England and consists of a plural executive: the Board of Selectmen consisting of a first selectman and two or more additional selectmen who serve as the legislative body; the open town meeting at which all registered voters may participate; and a number of elected boards and commissions. Generally there is a board of finance which prepares the budget for the town meeting to approve and after the budget is approved supervises the expenditure of town funds.

Connecticut municipal governments not only have different structures but they have different purposes. As noted earlier there are 169 towns, one is not consolidated with a town, 11 boroughs are not consolidated with towns, and there are 206 other local special districts (e.g., 71 fire districts, 105 improvements districts, 16 regional school districts and several sewer and lighting districts). It is interesting to note that within the last year, two municipalities have consolidated their town and city govern­ment—Willimantic and Windham, in December 1982 and Putnam in November 1983—leaving Groton as the only municipality with non-consolidated town and city government.

Basic governmental services are provided by the consolidated towns and cities with other units of government providing specific or a limited scope of service. Consolidated cities and towns not only operate school systems, construct and maintain roads, and provide welfare and health services which a town provides but also provide full-time professional police and fire protection, sewage and refuse disposal, planning and zoning, and, more recently, economic development and social service programs.