A city council is a legislative body that helps govern a municipality, which could be a town or a large city. Its size and structure can vary, but it typically consists of elected representatives who serve in districts or wards, with staggered terms to ensure continuity and new ideas. The council is responsible for enacting laws and setting budgets. It may also appoint a city manager who handles the administration of the municipality. The council often has limited veto power.
Some cities have a mayor who shares the responsibilities of the council with the council president and/or speaker, while others have an independent chief executive with full veto power. It is important for residents to participate in their city council meetings because it builds community trust and gives them a say in decisions that impact their lives.
Besides passing bills, a city council can also set its priorities for the city and raise or lower taxes to fund those goals. Whether it’s deciding where the next park will go, whether the local gas station can have gambling machines or what kinds of policing policies should be adopted, a city council is where citizens can truly create their vision for their community.
New York’s council, for example, recently passed legislation aimed at tackling the city’s homelessness crisis by setting housing production targets and creating a fair housing framework. It also voted to rename a street after Aland Etienne, the 32BJ SEIU union worker who was killed while protecting a protest in 2025 and secured funding in the budget for a program that will help people exiting the criminal justice system with disabilities transition to housing.