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LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Local government in the United States (sometimes referred to as municipal
government) is generally structured in accordance with the laws of the various
individual states. Typically each state has at least two separate tiers:
counties (known in Louisiana as parishes and as boroughs in Alaska), and
municipalities. In turn there are several different types of municipal
government, generally reflecting the needs of different levels of population
densities; although the types and nature of these municipal entities varies from
state to state, typical examples include the city, town, and village. Many rural
areas and even some suburban areas of many states have no municipal government
below the county level. In a few states, there is only one level of local
government: Hawaii has no legal municipalities below the county level; while
Connecticut and Rhode Island's counties serve no legal function—these being
filled by city and town governments.
In addition to the above, there are also often local or regional special
districts that exist for specific purposes, such as to provide fire protection,
sewer service, transit service or to manage water resources. In many states,
school districts manage the schools. Such special purpose districts often
encompass areas in multiple municipalities.
Finally, in some places the different tiers are merged together, for example
as a consolidated city-county.
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