Sugar Land operates under a council-manager form of government. City Council is comprised of a mayor, four district council members and two at-large council members. Additionally, Sugar Land, like many U.S. cities, has a city manager. Council meets on the first, third and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 2700 Town Center Boulevard.

Sugar Land is undergoing a redistricting process (see Page 12) and will maintain four districts.

While not all governing bodies have term limits, the Sugar Land mayor and council members can only serve three consecutive three-year terms over 10 years.

The council and city manager both oversee the inner workings of the city. However, unlike council members, the city manager is a full-time city employee who has the power to appoint and remove employees, enforce laws and ordinances, make general recommendations to council, manage day-to-day tasks and prepare the annual budget. City Council approves the annual budget, establishes city policy and acts as the legislative body.