POL Chapter 14

Home Rule Cities A.)

Home rule is the right of the citizen at the grassroot level to manage their own affairs with minimum interference from the state. Home rule assumes that governmental problems should be solved at the lowest possible level closest to the people. Pop > 5000

long ballot

listing of several independently elected offices on an election ballot

consolidation

merging or joining of responsibilities by counties and other local governments

Public debt

money owed by government, ordinarily through the issue of bonds

Amendment 3

no forced quartering of troops

county treasurer

official who is responsible for receiving, depositing and distributing funds

1972

The last Bexar County Democratic Coalition members were defeated

Amendment 10

States Rights

1969 & 1971

The Committee for Barrio Betterment ran candidates from the barrio

Home Rule Cities B.)

They can therefor write their own city governing charter which includes i.) Governmental authority ii.) Form of government iii.) Qualifications and duties elected chief appointed officials iv.) Election procedures

Amendment 7

Trial by jury

Tax assessor collector

a country financial officer whose responsibilities include collecting various country taxes and fees

District attorney

a county officer who prosecutes felony cases

Annexation

a policy that permits a city to bring unincorporated areas into the city's jurisdiction

Councils of Government (COGs)

advisory bodies consisting of representatives of various local governments brought together for the purposes of planning and cooperation

cumulative voting

an at large system that permits voters to cast on or more votes for a single candidate

recall election

an election that permits voters to remove an elected official

County Judge

an official elected countywide to preside over the county commissioners court

General obligation bonds

bonds to be repaid from general taxes and other revenues.

Extraterritorial Jurisdiction

buffer area that may extend beyond a city's limits

Unitary system of government

centralized governmental system in which local or subdivisional governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government

User fees

charges paid by the individuals who receive a particular service

county attorney

county legal officer whose responsiblities may include giving legal advice to the commissioner court, representing the county in litigation, and prosecuting felonies and misdemeanors.

C.) How did they accomplish their goals

5.) Amaturization of city council, i.e., amateur politics This was accomplished by eliminating the salary of elective officials as well as for members of policy boards and commissions such as zoning, water, electric and gas planning, etc.

Amendment 15

Black suffrage

single member districts

election districts in which one candidate is elected to a legislative body

rollback election

election that permits the voters to decide if a property tax increase ( > 8%) approved by a local government will remain in effect or be reduced to 8%

Pure at large system

electoral system in which candidates for city council run citywide and the top vote getters are elected to fill the number of open seats

at large place system

electoral system in which candidates run for a particular seat on the city council

merit system

employment and promotion system based on specific qualifications and performance rather than party affiliation

civil service

employment system used by governments that takes merit into account in hiring and promotion

Machine Politics

A.) Based on mayor council form of government B.) Dominated by lower/middle class/working class elements C.) Provided physical infrastructure for industry D.) Probably most important function was social control by emphasizing ethnicity over class

1959

establishment of the Bexar County Democratic Coalition

1954

estalishment of the Good Government League

County Government

general purpose local government that also serves as an administrative arm of the state. TX has more (254) more than any other state

Sheriff

the chief county law enforcement officer.

county clerk

the chief record keeper and election officer in a county

short ballot

the listing of only a few independently elected offices on an election ballot

charter

the organizing document for a corporation or a municipality

Commissioners Court

policy making body of a county, consisting of a county judge, who is elected in a county wide election to a four year term. and four commissioners who are elected from individual precints to four year terms

mandate

requirement or standard imposed on one level of government by a higher level of government

Term limits

restrictions on the number of times that a polititcian can be reelected

Colonia

severely impoverished unincorporated are that faces a variety of problems ( substandard housing, unsanitary drinking water)

San Antonio Politics: the Illusion of Inclusion :

...

C.) How did they accomplish their goals

1.) At-large elections This made it possible for the middle class to be able to decide who our representatives were because of the historical tendency for the well off to vote on a more consistent basis.

History of Cities in the US

1.) Mercantile : Trade was most important economic activity. Ports 2.) Industrial 1830s to the beginning of 20th century. Segregation : City govts developed along the model provided by states & nations : Mayor Council 3.) Corporate, after WWII : city govts developed along the model provided by corporations 4.) Globalization, the decentralization & reorganization of capital

Municipal Reform Movement A.) Who were the municipal reformers

1.) Small business elite (local chamber of commerce types) 2.) Newly emerging professional elite 3.) major corporate elites 4.) WASP 5.) definitely not working class, poor, or un-assimilated ethnics

B.) What did they want

1.) Structural change 2.) Growth and expansion 3.) More central role in the decision making process 4.) Centralization of decision making process 5.) narrowing the scope of conflict 6.) Sever politics from state and national level 7.) De-politicize decision making process

C.) How did they accomplish their goals

2.) Non-partisan elections This cut off the most important cues of the working class and the poor, thus, a major mechanism by which to get the working class and the poor to get out and vote was/is the political. Thus, they want to cut off political parties.

C.) How did they accomplish their goals

3.) Professionalization of management This was accomplished eventually through the council-manager form of government by separating the administration of the city from the policy making process.

C.) How did they accomplish their goals

4.) Public ownership of utilities Services such as water, gas, electricity, in some cases mass transit systems, bought out by the city, so as to be able to provide a consistent distribution of services.

C.) How did they accomplish their goals

6. More planning The planning aspect, though not necessarily comprehensive, for business men are not necessarily in favor of comprehensive planning, was important in terms of planning an infrastructure that would serve the needs of the business community. In other words, growth and expansion could not proceed without providing such an infrastructure. Thus, the needs of the community In general were not necessarily a priority. Indeed, when social reformers organized for the needs of the community, conflict arose.

C.) How did they accomplish their goals

7.Citizen's league In order to accomplish these changes, the business community had to consolidate its political power. This was made easier with the political parties cut off from any influence in the electoral arena. Then by organizing their own slating groups they could control the nomination and election of public officials, thus, controlling city council and all the other boards and commissions. In San Antonio, this slating group was called the Good Government League (GGL).

Development Corporation Act

A state law that allows certain Texas cities to raise the sales tax for economic development

Amendment 13

Abolishes Slavery

1951

Charter revision to Council manager form of govt

1912

Charter revision to commission form of govt

Constable

County law enforcement official who is elected to serve as the process officer or justice of the peace courts

Amendment 14

Defines Citizenship

Amendment 24

Eliminates poll tax

Amendment 9

Enumerated rights of the people

Home Rule Cities C.)

Example of powers inherent to home rule cities i.) Unilateral annexation ii.) Initiative iii.) Referendum iv.) Recall

1981

Henry Cisneros was elected mayor

1939

Maury Maverick Sr. elected as mayor of San Antonio

Weak Mayor Council

Mayor is elected independently but does not prepare budget, no planning power, does not hire or fire, and CAN have veto overturned by council

Amendment 8

No excessive fines and bails

Amendment 4

No unreasonable search and seizure

Amendment 6

Right to a fair but speedy public trial

Amendment 2

Right to bear arms

Amendment 5

Right to due process

1977

Single member districts were implemented

1973

The GGL was split and thus failed to gain a majority of the council which it had held since 1955 and was never able to regroup again

1975

The amendment to the charter allowed for the independent election of the mayor 1977 Single member districts were implemented

Amendment 26

Voting age to 18

Amendment 19

Women's Suffrage

unit road system

a system that concentrates the day-to-day responsibilities of roads in the hands of a professional engineer rather than county commissioners.

Council Manager form of government

a.) Council is elected at-large in non-partisan elections and hires and fires a city manager. b.) The city manager is in charge of preparing budget, planning, hire and fire of departments and city council only attends to policy making. c.) Mayor is usually elected from among the council members by that body, as in San Antonio before 1975.

Commission Form of Government

a.) Originated in 1900 tidal wave disaster in Galveston b.) Each commissioner is in charge of a department EX: Fire, Police, Finance, Recreation c.) sometimes has mayor elected too as in San Antonio before 1951

General Law Cities

a.) incorporated communities with 5000 population or less and are limited in the subject matter the may legislate b.) form of government is determined by state law c.) can not annex new areas to their city d.) Thus they do not have Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)

At-large elections

citywide elections

dependent agency

classification created by US Census Bureau for governmental entities that are closely tied to general purpose governments but do not have as much independence as special district governments

county auditor

financial officer whose duties may include reviewing county financial records and in large counties serving as chief budget officer

Amendment 1

freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition

Forms Of Municipal Government: Strong Mayor Council

i.) Mayor is elected independently ii.) Has absolute veto power over council decisions iii.) prepares budget iv.) has planning power v.) hires and fires department heads vi.) council is usually elected by wards/districts

district clerk

record keeper

spoils system

system that gives elected officials considerable discretion in employment and promotion decisions

property tax

tax levied as a % of the assessed value of real property

1991

term limitations were imposed, two terms