Administrative divisions of Massachusetts facts for kids

Massachusetts is one of the six New England states. It has a special way of organizing its local governments, often called the New England town system. Unlike many other states, most of Massachusetts doesn't have strong county governments. Instead, local cities and towns handle most services.

Massachusetts also has different types of public schools. These include local schools, regional schools, vocational/technical schools, and charter schools.

Cities and Towns in Massachusetts

Massachusetts cities and towns. Every part of the state belongs to a city or town.

In many other states, a "town" is a small, developed area. Outside these towns, there are large "unincorporated" areas that don't belong to any town. These areas are usually part of a county, and the county government provides important services like police or fire departments.

But in Massachusetts, it's different! All the land is divided among cities and towns. There are no "unincorporated" areas. This is true for most of the New England states. It can make it tricky to compare Massachusetts with states that have different systems.

The U.S. Census Bureau sees Massachusetts cities and towns as "minor civil divisions." This is like "townships" in other states, but townships usually have weaker governments. Many people in Massachusetts also feel connected to smaller areas within their cities or towns, like neighborhoods or villages.

Local Services

Most cities and towns in Massachusetts have their own police departments. Many colleges and universities in the state also have their own police. The Massachusetts State Police usually investigate serious crimes, except in big cities like Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.

Fire protection is also usually handled by local fire departments. These departments often help each other out in emergencies. They have "mutual aid agreements" that let them cross boundaries to respond to calls. For example, the Massachusetts Metro Fire District helps coordinate responses in the Greater Boston area.

Water and sewer services are usually run by the local city or town. They provide water to homes and businesses and manage sewage treatment. Some water districts cover more than one town. In less crowded areas, some buildings might not have public water or sewer lines. In these cases, building owners need to get their own water and handle their own sewage.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority provides water and sewer services to many cities and towns, especially in Greater Boston. They work with the DCR to manage water sources.

Rules for Local Government

Many towns in Massachusetts were created a long time ago, during the British colonial period. The Massachusetts Constitution was written in 1780, even before the American Revolution ended. This constitution set up the relationship between the state government and the towns.

In 1966, a change to the Massachusetts Constitution gave cities and towns more power to govern themselves. This is called the "Home Rule Amendment." It means:

• Cities and towns can create their own local rules without needing state approval for every single one.
• However, they cannot control elections, collect certain taxes, borrow money, or set punishments like jail time. The state legislature still handles these things.
• A city or town can use any power the state legislature could give it, unless the state has already made a law about that topic. Because the state has made many laws, the actual powers of cities and towns can sometimes be limited.

The state legislature usually cannot pass special laws that affect only one city or town. They can only do this if:

• The city or town asks for it.
• Two-thirds of the legislature and the Governor agree.
• They are creating regional agencies that cover different areas than existing towns.
• They are creating, ending, or combining cities and towns, or changing their borders.

Many cities and towns still ask the state legislature for special laws. This is because they want to be sure they have the power to do certain things, especially if state laws might conflict.

Cities and towns also have strong powers over how land is used. This is called "zoning" and "subdivision control."

City vs. Town Government

In Massachusetts, the difference between a "city" and a "town" is mostly about how its government is set up. A "town" is usually governed by selectmen and a Town Meeting. In a Town Meeting, citizens can directly vote on local laws and budgets. Some towns have a "Representative Town Meeting" where elected representatives vote for the citizens.

A "city" has a council or board of aldermen. It might also have a mayor, a city manager, or both. This difference started in 1821 when the state constitution was changed. Before that, all municipalities had to use the Town Meeting system. Boston became the first "city" in 1822.

The state Constitution says that a municipality with fewer than 12,000 people cannot become a "city." Also, a "town" with fewer than 6,000 people cannot use the Representative Town Meeting system.

State law offers six main options for city governments:

• Plan A: A "strong mayor" and a city council.
• Plan B: A "weak mayor" and a city council.
• Plan C: A mayor and commissioners.
• Plan D: A city council and a city manager.
• Plan E: A city council and a city manager, with different election rules.
• Plan F: A mayor and city council, with political parties involved.

Cities and towns also have some operational differences. Cities have a clear process for their yearly budget. The city council cannot increase the budget beyond what the mayor or chief executive suggests. Changes to town rules (called "by-laws") need approval from the Massachusetts Attorney General. City rules (called "ordinances") do not.

In 1966, the Massachusetts Constitution confirmed that local governments have the right to self-govern. It also said the state legislature cannot get rid of or combine cities and towns without their permission.

Before 1966, towns had to ask the state legislature for special permission to change their government structure. After the Home Rule Amendment, cities and towns could create their own local rules without state approval.

As of 2000, many municipalities had created their own "home-rule charters." These are like local constitutions. Some still used older charters granted by the state.

Out of 53 cities in Massachusetts, eleven are legally cities but still use "Town of" in their names. This is because they wanted to adopt the city form of government but keep the "town" name. They might have wanted to avoid the idea of being a "city" with big city problems.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has said that what a municipality calls itself doesn't really matter. What matters is how its government actually works.

Local Money

Cities and towns get money from several sources:

• Local property tax: Local governments collect taxes on property. A 1980 law called "Proposition 2½" limits how much property tax can be collected.

* A community cannot collect more than 2.5% of the total value of all taxable property in one year. * The amount collected each year cannot increase by more than 2.5% over the previous year, plus money from new construction. * If a city or town wants to raise more money than these limits, voters must approve it. This is called a "Proposition 2½ override" or "debt exclusion." * Some properties, like hospitals, schools, churches, or homes of seniors, veterans, or blind people, might be exempt from property taxes.

• Local income tax: Massachusetts has a state income tax, but the state constitution says it must be a "uniform rate." This means cities and towns cannot have their own local income taxes.

• Local sales tax: The state constitution also requires sales tax rates to be uniform. So, cities and towns generally cannot have their own local sales taxes. However, there are a few exceptions, like taxes on aviation fuel or hotel stays.

• Local aid: A big part of the money for cities and towns comes from the state government. This is called "local aid."

• Fees: Cities and towns also collect money from fees, like parking fines. State law limits some of these fees.

• Unfunded mandates: Sometimes, the state government creates laws that require cities and towns to do things, but doesn't give them money to cover the costs. These are called "unfunded mandates." They are a big issue in local government.

School Districts

Children in Massachusetts aged 6–16 must attend primary and secondary school. Public schools are free. Students can also choose to attend a public school in a different town if there is space. They can also go to private schools, which usually charge tuition. Many private schools are parochial schools run by religious groups.

There are four main types of public school districts in Massachusetts:

• Local schools
• Regional schools
• Vocational/technical schools
• Charter schools

How Schools are Organized

Local schools are funded by one city or town. About half of Massachusetts communities have local schools for all grades (Kindergarten through 12th grade). These schools are managed by an elected or appointed school committee and are part of the city or town government. The city or town government gives the school committee a total amount of money each year. The school committee then decides how to spend that money.

Regional schools are formed when two or more cities or towns combine their public schools into one district. About 27% of Massachusetts communities have K-12 regional schools. Many others have local primary schools and regional secondary schools. Regional schools are managed by a school committee with members from all the towns in the region. The voters in the towns still have the final say on their share of the regional budget.

Vocational/technical schools are high schools that teach students job skills. They are often regional, serving students from several communities. These schools are also managed by a regional school committee. Like other regional schools, they depend on local towns for funding.

Charter schools are public schools that have different rules from traditional public schools. They are still publicly funded. There are two types of charter schools in Massachusetts:

• Commonwealth Charter Schools: These were created in 1993. They are approved by the state and have their own administrative structure. They are not subject to the same union agreements as other public schools. They are managed by a board of trustees.
• Horace Mann Charter Schools: These were defined in 1997. The local school committee and local union must approve their charter. They are managed by a board of trustees, which may include a member of the local school committee.

All school districts in Massachusetts must have a superintendent and a business manager. These leaders help run the schools. The Massachusetts Board of Education creates rules for all types of schools in the state.

School Funding and Construction

Public schools get money from two main places:

• Local governments, mostly from property taxes.
• Payments from the state government. These payments are designed to give more money to poorer school districts to help all students have equal opportunities.

Cities and towns must spend a minimum amount on education each year. This amount is calculated by the state.

When a student moves from one public school district to another, or to a charter school, some funding moves with them. This helps ensure schools get money for the students they educate.

Building new schools or fixing old ones is usually handled by the city or town government, not just the school board.

Counties

In Massachusetts, District attorneys (who prosecute crimes) and sheriffs (who run jails and serve legal papers) are elected. Their areas mostly follow county lines. They are paid by the state government.

By the 1990s, most county governments in Massachusetts had lost their importance. The state had taken over many of their jobs, like running courts and maintaining roads. Many people felt county governments were not efficient anymore.

For example, the government of Suffolk County (where Boston is) was combined with Boston's city government over 100 years ago. The members of the Boston city council also act as the Suffolk County Commissioners. This means Boston pays for all county expenses.

The government of Nantucket County is also very similar to its town government. The town's leaders also act as the county commissioners.

In the mid-1990s, Middlesex County had financial problems. So, in 1997, the state legislature took over all of its money and debts. The government of Middlesex County was officially ended. After that, other counties like Franklin, Hampden, Worcester, Hampshire, Essex, and Berkshire also had their governments abolished.

Some counties, like Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk, still have their county governments. Barnstable and Dukes Counties have updated their county rules to act as efficient regional governments. Dukes County has a strong regional planning group called the Martha's Vineyard Commission.

Quasi-Public State Agencies

Massachusetts has many special state agencies that work somewhat independently from the main state government. These are called "quasi-public" agencies. They provide services across the state or in specific regions. They are set up this way to be more flexible and avoid some of the strict rules that other government agencies follow.

Examples of these agencies include the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, which helps manage Massachusetts' healthcare insurance system. Other examples include agencies focused on finance, community development, and technology.

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