Local Government

          An elected Mayor and City Council run Lewiston. The city council is made up of seven aldermen. Each alderman represents a section of the city called a ward. TheMayor and the City Council are sometimes call the "city fathers" because it is their responsibility to care for the citizens of the community. The job of the mayor and the city council is to set policies for the city.

           A city administrator carries out the policies decided upon by the mayor and the city council. The city administrator must also run the city within the city's budget.
           It takes a lot on money to run a city the size of Lewiston. Some of the city's expenses include the schools department, the fire department, the police department, sanitation department, water and sewage facilities, road maintenance, the public library, as well as taking care of some of the city's poor and needed families that sometimes need city assistance.

           Where does the city of Lewiston get the money to pay for all of this? The city gets money from taxes paid by the citizens. The City Council and the Mayor will look at each of department proposed budgets. Then they will vote to accept it or make cuts in the budget. This can be very difficult decision to make. Very often their is not enough money for all that is asked for, so some items or services must be cut our of the city's programs.

           Visit the City of Lewiston's web page to learn more about the city's local government.
           The City of Lewiston also has a seven members School Board and Superintendent of Schools. They make decisions concerning education in the public schools. The Superintendent of Schools must submit a yearly budget proposal to the School Board. The School Board members must approve the proposed school budget and then the City Council will look at the School Board's budget. The City Council and the Mayor will them give money for that budget. Sometimes the amount asked for is more then the amount of money given by the City Council and budget cuts must be made in supplies, personnel, or programs. To learn more about theLewiston School System check out the school department's web page.

Quiz on Local Government

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Created by D. Letourneau ©1999 Revised 2003