Frequently Asked Questions
 

Q: What is a charter county? A charter county is governed by a county charter that is approved by its citizens. Charter counties have all powers of self-government unless it is inconsistent with the Florida Constitution or the Florida Statute. Q: What is a county charter? A county charter is a simply a local “home rule constitution” which specifies the structure, organization and authority of a county government. Q: How long has Leon County been a charter county? Leon County has been a charter county for seven years. In 2002, the citizens of our community voted to make Leon County a charter county. Q: How many charter counties are there? There 20 charter counties in Florida which represent 80% of the state’s population. These counties are Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Hillsborough, Lee, Leon, Orange, Osceola, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, Volusia and Wakulla. Q: Is all charter counties the same? No. One of the benefits of a charter county is the residents’ ability to shape and form there local government to best reflect the uniqueness of their community. Q: Does this mean Leon County is independent from the State of      Florida? No. Leon County is still a subdivision of the state and obligated to provide the same state mandated functions as non-charter counties, however as a charter county, Leon County has more flexibility in fulfilling state mandates and improved powers in addressing local concerns Q: What is the purpose of the Charter Review Committee? The Leon County Charter is a living document. For this reason, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners is required to appoint a Citizen Charter Review Committee at least 12 months prior to the general election occurring every eight years. This process provides for citizen input in the role and function of County government.