Government: Local and State — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The mayor works with the city council to run the city government.
The mayor is the elected city leader who teams up with the council members to make decisions, sign orders, and keep the city running smoothly.
2. Citizens have the right and responsibility to vote in elections.
Voting is both something citizens are allowed to do (a right) and something they are expected to do (a responsibility), because it keeps a democracy working.
3. State taxes pay for highways, state parks, and public universities.
Highways, state parks, and public universities are all statewide projects, and the money to build and run them comes from taxes collected across the whole state.
4. The governor can veto, or reject, a bill passed by the legislature.
A bill is a proposed law that the legislature has voted on but is not a law yet, so the governor can still stop it with a veto before it takes effect.
5. Firefighters and sanitation workers are paid by local government.
Sanitation workers collect trash and keep streets clean, and cities pay them with local tax money — the same way they pay firefighters for neighborhood safety.
6. A bill is a written proposal for a new law.
Before an idea can become a real law, lawmakers write it down as a bill so it can be read, debated, and voted on — only then can it be signed into law.
7. The city council holds meetings to hear what community members think.
City council meetings are open to the public so neighbors can attend, share opinions, and help leaders understand what the community needs.
8. Every state in the United States has its own governor.
All 50 states govern themselves, so each one holds its own election to pick a governor to lead that state's government — from California to Maine.
9. Following laws is a responsibility shared by all citizens.
Laws only keep a community fair and safe if everybody obeys them, so following laws is a duty every citizen shares, no matter their age or job.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Governor
→ Leads the state government
Helps the mayor govern the city
Mayor
→ Leads a city or town
Writes laws for the state
State legislature
→ Writes laws for the state
Leads a city or town
City council
→ Helps the mayor govern the city
Leads the state government
The governor heads an entire state while the mayor runs a single city or town, and the two lawmaking bodies follow the same split — the state legislature writes laws for the whole state while the city council focuses just on rules for its city.