Final answer:
Special districts are specific geographical units of government responsible for managing and regulating services like water and transportation. They help manage tasks that are burdensome for city or county governments, especially in populated areas. Municipal governments contribute by handling utilities, maintaining facilities, and other services funded by various taxes and fees.
Step-by-step explanation:
The regulation and management of specific services such as water, transportation, and local resources is handled by special districts which comprise a specific geographical area. These units of government are established to perform specific functions that may be too burdensome for city or county governments to handle, especially in densely populated regions. For example, a local school district is a type of special district, but others include those focused on highways, welfare, health, natural resources, prisons, education, fire protection, sewerage, sanitation, airports, and car parking.
Municipal governments also play a significant role in providing essential services such as clean water, sewage and garbage disposal, maintenance of city facilities, zoning and building regulations, and more. These governments typically rely on revenue from property taxes, user fees, sales tax receipts, and taxes on businesses to fund these services.
At times, some degree of autonomy is given to local governments through home rule, allowing policy and tax decisions that cater more directly to local needs. However, they must work cooperatively with state governments to ensure service provision to citizens. An understanding of the division of responsibilities and cooperation among the various levels of government is essential in comprehending how public services are managed within different geographical areas.