ABSTRACT
Home rule refers to the authority of a local government to make and implement a policy decision without first obtaining specific permission from a superior tier of government. Of course, cities, counties, and other forms of local government exist within a larger framework of state governments and are expected to accommodate their actions to the interests of other localities as well as the state government. Home rule is a critical dimension of state–local relations in the United States, and as such, varies among the states in terms of the types and extent of discretionary authority available to local governments.
