Massachusetts has 14 counties which were regional administrative districts before the
Revolutionary War. Over time
the counties administered jails, health facilities, agricultural schools, registries of
deeds and probate, county courthouses,
county roads and extension services. The counties were funded by local communities and the
Commonwealth.
For many years, there was criticism of county government as wasteful and inefficient.
There were recommendations to
abolish all county governments and transfer most of their functions to state agencies and
their assets (land and buildings)
to the Commonwealth.
In 1997, Middlesex county government was abolished, followed by the abolition of
Berkshire, Essex, Hampden and
Worcester county governments. Their functions were turned over to state agencies. Sheriffs
in these counties still administer
jails but their employees are state employees. The legislation to abolish these county
governments transferred Registries of Deeds to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the
Commonwealth.
It is important to understand that though the governments of these counties were abolished
or restructured, the counties as geographic/political regions remain.
Registers of deeds and probate, sheriffs and district attorneys, even where county
government has been abolished, are still elected in county political districts. In
counties that have not been abolished or restructured, county commissioners and treasurers
are still elected.
Home rule legislation allows officials or voters in a county to establish a regional
charter commission to study its government. The commission can submit one of three model
charters for approval by voters in that county at a statewide election or it can submit a
special charter that must first be approved by the state Legislature.
Cities and towns may choose a Regional Councils of Government charter that will be binding
on those cities and towns
where a majority of their voters approve it. The regional councils of government can
provide a variety of services to communities, such as planning, public safety,
engineering, water and waste disposal, and many others. The participating communities pay
assessments based on local property evaluation.
The Legislature approved special charters to allow Franklin and Hampshire counties to have
regional councils of government. Barnstable county has submitted a special charter for a
regional council of government to the Legislature, which to date
has not approved it.
Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk county governments remain
substantially unchanged.
(See: Chapter 34, General Laws of Massachusetts)