Governmental Forms
A city in Washington State can be described secondarily by its form of government. Cities and towns are specifically authorized three forms of government:
- Commission (one city),
- Mayor-Council (80.8% of cities in the state), and
- Council-Manager (18.9%).
Commission
The city of Shelton is the only one still using the three-member commission form of government.
Mayor-Council
Most cities in Washington have this form of government, which calls for an elected mayor and an elected city council, including Seattle, Spokane, Kent, Everett, Bremerton, and Bellingham.
Council-Manager
Cities with an elected council and appointed city manager include University Place, Yakima, Vancouver, Tacoma, Bellevue, and Kennewick.
In addition, code cities (see above), if their population is over 10,000, may incorporate as charter code cities. They may then "set out any plan of government deemed 'suitable for the good government of the city'" (RCW 35A.08.050), which need not be a commission, mayor-council, or council-manager form. No charter code city in Washington has done this as of 2004.
Read more about this topic: City Government In The State Of Washington
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