The authority of the Board of Representatives is described in the City of Stamford Charter. The Board of Representatives has the following powers, among others:

Enact ordinances for the government of the city, for the preservation of good order, peace and health, for the welfare and safety of its inhabitants and the protection and security of their property (legislative process);

Adopt the submitted capital and operating budgets of the City, the WPCA, and the Board of Education (budget process);

Approve submitted supplemental capital and operating budget requests (fiscal process); 

Fill vacancies in elected offices (Mayor, Town Clerk, Board of Finance, Board of Education, Board of Representatives, and Constables); Approve the appointment of City Directors, the Director of Health, the Police Chief and the Fire and Rescue Chief; Approve appointments submitted by the Mayor of members to boards, authorities and commissions; (appointments process);

Establish fees charged by the City (fees process);

Approve all City personnel contracts; Reject negotiated and/or arbitrated labor contracts (labor contract process);

Approve large/multi-year contracts obtained as negotiated proposals;

Approve leases, sales, and purchases of City owned property.

The Board does not have the power to initiate, restore, or otherwise increase either capital or operating spending proposals. All fiscal expenditures (budget or supplemental) must be submitted by the Mayor (or appropriate agency) and approved by the Board of Finance. The State government also reserves powers over certain matters. For instance, the State has authority over moving traffic regulations and fines.