In theory, combining executive and legislative responsibility in one small elected body will result in increased political accountability and a more efficient and responsive government.

The dispersal of executive authority and power provides sufficient separation of powers, and checks and balances, making it unnecessary to have separate legislative and executive branches.

Commissioners as legislators can be sure that their wishes are being carried out since they are administering the policies which they had a part in shaping.

The commission form saves money because the commissioners serve both as legislators and department heads.

Arguments Against the Commission Form

Successful commissioner candidates may turn out to be poor administrators either because they have no interest in it or because they lack the requisite management skills.

The commission form has been criticized for its lack of executive leadership, there being no single individual comparable to the mayor in a mayor-council city or a city manager in a council-manager city who is responsible for the overall administration of city departments.

Giving both legislative and executive powers to the same group of officials conflicts with the fundamental American concept of separation of governmental powers.

Employees may tend to work primarily for their own departments, ignoring the needs of other parts of the government.

(*Note: These "arguments" have been collected from a variety of sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of MRSC or MRSC Staff.)

The commission form provides for the election of three commissioners who function collectively as the city legislative body and individually as city department heads. The three are elected at-large to fill the specific offices of commissioner of public safety (who also serves as the mayor), commissioner of finance and accounting, and commissioner of streets and public improvements (public works). Although one of the elected commissioners also has the title of mayor, he or she has essentially the same powers as the other commissioners, and has no veto power nor any power to direct city administration except within his/her own department. The commission appoints and removes officials by a majority vote.