Government of Mentone
| File:Seal of Mentone.png Seal of Mentone | |
| Constitution | Constitution of Mentone |
|---|---|
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | Mentone Senate |
| Type | Unicameral |
| Meeting place | Mentone State Capitol |
| Presiding officer | Walker Belmont |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of State and Government | |
| Title | Governor |
| Currently | Kelly Westbrooks |
| Appointer | Election |
| Cabinet | |
| Leader | Governor |
| Deputy leader | Lieutenant Governor |
| Headquarters | Mentone State Capitol |
| Judicial branch | |
| Name | Judiciary of Mentone |
| Courts | Courts of Mentone |
| Supreme Court of Mentone | |
| Chief judge | Thelma Ayers |
| Seat | Mentone City |
The government of Mentone operates under the Constitution of Mentone and consists of a unitary democratic state government operating under a presidential system, as well as governments at the county and municipal levels. The state government, as well as nearly every state agency.
Executive
The statewide elected officials are:
- Governor: Kelly Westbrooks
- Leuitenant Governor: Walker Belmont
- Attorney-General: Humphrey Siddall
- Secretary of State: Flora Cooke
- State Treasurer: Hilary Virgo
State agencies
- Department of Agriculture
- Agricultural Business Service
- Department of Revenue
- Vehicle Registration
- Alcohol Enforcement
- Department of Natural Resources
- Division of Conservation
- Water Resources Office
- Game Warden Service
- Department of Public Safety
- State Fire Marshal
- Mentone Investigations Service
- State Crime Lab
- Mentone Highway Patrol
- Mentone Corrections Service
- Department of Human Services
- Mentone State Hospital
- Children and Families Service
- Office of Medical Licensing
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Education
- Office of Primary Education
- Office of Secondary Education
- University of Mentone
Legislature
Mentone is served by a unicameral legislature, the Senate, made up of 28 Senators. It is a powerful arm of the Mentone government not only because of its power of the purse to control and direct the activities of state government, but also due to Mentone's plural executive.
Judiciary
The judicary of Mentone has a simple three tier system. At the trial court level, the state is divided into 8 districts, following county lines. Shelby County constitutes a single district, but every other district covers at least two counties. Counties, and some cities, operate municipal and county courts at this level which cover certain misdemeaner crimes. From there, cases are appealed to one of two courts of appeal. One for Shelby County, one for the rest of the state.
The Supreme Court is made up of three justices, and serves as a court of last resort, the state constitutional court, and has primary jurisdiction over civil cases in which a government entity is a party.
Local government
County
Mentone has a total of 21 counties. Each county is run by a five-member county counsel consisting of four counselors elected from single-member districts (called commissioner precincts) and a county administrator elected at-large. The county andministrator does not have authority to veto a decision of the commissioners court; they vote along with the commissioners (being the tie-breaker in close calls). Certain officials, such as the sheriff and tax collector, are elected separately by the voters, but the counsel determines their office budgets, and sets overall county policy. All county elections are partisan.
Counties in Mentone have limited regulatory (ordinance) authority. Counties in Mentone do not have zoning power (except for limited instances). However, counties can collect a small portion of property tax and spend it to provide residents with needed services or to employ the power of eminent domain.
Unlike other states, Mentone does not allow for consolidated city-county governments. Cities and counties (as well as other political entities) are permitted to enter "interlocal agreements" to share services (for instance, a city and a school district may enter into agreements with the county whereby the county bills for and collects property taxes for the city and school district).
Municipal
Mentone does not have townships; areas within a county are either incorporated or unincorporated. Incorporated areas are part of a city, though the city may contract with the county for needed services. Unincorporated areas are not part of a city; in these areas the county has authority for law enforcement and road maintenance. Their local ordinances, rules, and police regulations are usually codified in a "code of ordinances".
Cities are classified as either "general law" or "home rule". A city may elect home rule status (i.e., draft an independent city charter) once it exceeds 5,000 population and the voters agree to home rule. Otherwise, it is classified as general law and has very limited powers.
Municipal elections in Mentone are nonpartisan in the sense that candidates do not appear on the ballot on party lines, and do not run as party tickets. However, a candidate's party affiliation is usually known or can be discerned with minimal effort (as the candidate most likely has supported other candidates on partisan tickets).
Special districts
In addition to cities and counties, Mentone has several special districts. As with municipal elections in Mentone, board members or trustees are elected on a nonpartisan basis or may be appointed.
The most common is the unified school district, which has a board of trustees that is independent of any other governing authority. School district boundaries are not generally aligned with city or county boundaries; it is common for a school district to cover one or more communities or even cross county lines.
Other special districts include Groundwater Conservation Districts (regulatory agencies), river authorities, water supply districts (for irrigation or rural supply), road districts and community colleges.
 State of Mentone topics | ||
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Mentone City (capital) | ||
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