Final answer:
At the local level, power to approve spending often rests with elected representatives like mayors, city councils, county judges, or other bodies. The methods for approval can differ between local governments. State and local governments must approve spending before releasing revenues, and they allocate funds for various services and programs through taxes collected.
Step-by-step explanation:
Power to approve spending at the local level often rests with the mayor, the city council, the county judge, or some other elected representative or body. However, the methods for approval may vary considerably from one local government to the next.
In the United States, people elect representatives to city councils, state legislatures, and Congress. These bodies make laws to govern their respective jurisdictions and pass measures to raise money through taxes. On the local level, funds are allotted for education, police and fire departments, and maintenance of public parks. State governments allocate money for state colleges and universities, maintenance of state roads and bridges, and wildlife management, among other priorities.
Local and state governments must approve spending before revenues can be released, and their budgets supply money for many services and programs. The taxes collected by the state and local governments are used to pay for various services and programs, and state and local governments also benefit from federal expenditures.