Taking part
public hearing
A meeting a government body must hold, and notice in advance, before taking certain actions: adopting a budget, changing zoning, or raising a tax rate.
In full
Hearings are legally required steps, not courtesies, and skipping one can invalidate the action. Notice requirements specify how far in advance and by what method, often including newspaper publication and mailed notice to nearby property owners. Speaking at one puts a position into the official record.
Where to go next
Keep going
Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.