Government

Build a Town Hall to give your city a local government and allow your Sims to voice problems. The Town Hall can be built after your city is connected to the Regional Highway, you’re providing working power, and you’re providing working water. Local government is crucial to your city. It not only gives access to tax control, but also allows you to further improve your city by granting permits for emergency service buildings like the Fire Station, Police Station, and Clinic.

Upgrading your Town Hall to a City Hall permits you improved tax control, and the ability to further grow your city and create for it a specialized focus. To upgrade your Town Hall to a City Hall, select your Town Hall to view an information window detailing your progress. Once your progress target has been met, click the Upgrade button. Further upgrades unlock additional modules for your new City Hall.

## CITY Hall Upgrades

After reaching certain population levels, you’ll be awarded with upgrades to your City Hall. Use these to allow for further city growth and to create a specialized focus for your city. There are six upgrades to choose from, and you can only select one at a time. The upgrade selected has a major effect on your city.

When playing in a region, talk to your neighbors to determine what specialization they are thinking about for their city. That way, you can each select a different upgrade, and where you may be lacking, your neighbor can fill that gap. These upgrades are regional, meaning only cities in your region can take advantage of them. For example, if you choose the Department of Safety, you can provide better police support for neighboring cities, whereas if your neighbor chooses Department of Education, they can become a college town, and your Sims can travel there for better schooling.

### Government Stats

The Government menu’s System Info displays the density of your RCI zones.

### Taxes

As the mayor, you have a hand in both certainties of life—death and taxes. But it’s the latter that you have direct control over. Taxes are another form of income that can help boost your city’s growth. But keep taxes too high for too long, and the residents may leave your town in droves. Additionally, high-wealth Sims are more averse to high taxes than low- and medium-wealth Sims. Access the Budget Panel to adjust the city’s tax income. Upgrade your Town Hall or City Hall to increase your control over taxes.

**Town Hall:** Adjust the overall tax percentage rate.

**City Hall:** Upgrade to a City Hall to split up taxes between Residential, Commercial, and Industrial zones.

**Department of Finance:** Add this module to your city hall to increase your tax options. Within each zone, taxes are divided into three wealth classes (low, medium, or high).

### Government Maps

While on the Government menu, use the Data Map buttons to switch between different data maps.

**Population:** View population data and examine where Sims are located.

**Happiness:** View which buildings are happy and check out what areas need improvements.

**Building Density:** Displays the progress toward density upgrade of every structure in the city.

## Government modules

* Town Hall
* Mayor's House
* Mayor's Mansion

## Government tips

* City Hall allows you to set tax rates.
* Each City Hall upgrade grants you a choice of one Department module.
* Many City Hall departments grant access to more buildings for all cities in the region.
* Government buildings increase nearby land value.
* Buildings start as low density but can grow if they are kept happy/profitable.
* A building will only grow if the road it is on is big enough to permit the traffic.
* Click on an individual building to see its progress toward the next density level.
* Density is the building's size. Land Value relates to its wealth level.
* If a building loses happiness/profit, it will eventually go abandoned.
* An abandoned building may revive if its problems are resolved.