Local Government
Which of the following is the best description of councils of governments (COGs)? a.) COGs are assemblies of delegates representing the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government who meet to discuss common problems. b.) COGs are assemblies of delegates representing members of every political party officially registered with the state. c.) COGs are assemblies of delegates representing a region's counties and cities who meet to discuss common problems. d.) COGs are assemblies of delegates representing the federal government, the state government, and international institutions, such as the United Nations.
COGs are assemblies of delegates representing a region's counties and cities who meet to discuss common problems; COGs mainly perform research, planning, and advisory functions and have little or no power or authority to impose their decisions on local jurisdictions
regulatory regional governments
California Coastal Commission; South Coast Air Quality Management District; San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
T/F: The state has approximately 400 nonschool special districts.
False; excluding the school districts, the state had 4,884 special districts in 2017
T/F: Since 1999, there have been many new cities incorporated in California, and there are now over 1,000 cities in the state.
False; only 9 cities have incorporated since 1999, raising the total number of cities to 482 in 2018
T/F: The state must build approximately 14,000 houses each year to meet the demand created by its growing population.
False; to keep up with its growing population, California needs to build approximately 180,000 new homes each year; new policies enacted in 2017 and 2018 may add about 14,000 new homes each year, but this is far fewer than would be required to meet demand
The story of Jurupa Valley illustrates which of the following facts about municipal incorporation in California? a.) Local governments are highly dependent on state revenue and often cannot survive a diversion of revenue from Sacramento. b.) Once a city files for dissolution, it can never become a city again, and a new incorporation plan with new city boundaries must be submitted. c.) Petitions for dissolution are extremely common among new cities in California. d.) The heavy burden of legal obligations and fiduciary responsibilities that come with incorporation can often be difficult for new municipalities to handle.
Local governments are highly dependent on state revenue and often cannot survive a diversion of revenue from Sacramento & the heavy burden of legal obligations and fiduciary responsibilities that come with incorporation can often be difficult for new municipalities to handle.
Which of the following statements about strong mayor-council systems are accurate? a.) The mayor serves as the city's overall chief executive and has the power to appoint the heads of the city government's departments. b.) The city council, not the city's voters, selects the mayor. c.) The mayor has veto power over city council legislation. d.) The city council is in charge of all budgeting decisions, including proposing and passing the city's budget.
The mayor serves as the city's overall chief executive and has the power to appoint the heads of the city government's departments & the mayor has veto power over city council legislation.
Why is it difficult to split an existing county to make a new county in California?
The state's constitution requires affirmative majority votes in both the entire county affected and the territory of the proposed new county; the majority requirement among both populations was added to the constitution through an amendment in 1894; very few counties have been split since
Which of the following are reasons why developers have not built more housing in California in recent years? a.) There is a shortage of affordable land to build on. b.) There is a shortage of construction labor. c.) The federal government has issued an injunction against California that prevents additional housing construction in order to limit the state's population growth. d.) Proposition 13 explicitly limits the number of houses that developers are allowed to build in each city every year to 1% of the total number of houses already existing in the city.
There is a shortage of affordable land to build on & there is a shortage of construction labor.
T/F: All of the state's most populous counties are now charter counties.
True; Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange counties, for example, are all charter counties; there is even one small county of 64,000 residents, Tehama County, that has enacted its own charter
T/F: Elections for all county offices are nonpartisan.
True; the Progressive Era reformers enacted nonpartisan elections as a means to insulate the important business of local government from what they saw as the distracting and corrupting influence of partisan politics
mayor-council systems
a form of municipal governance in which there is an elected executive and an elected legislature; most small cities who can't afford a professional city manager and have weak mayors of the purely ceremonial type; most of the largest cities who have strong systems in which the mayor is elected independently of the council and serves as the city's overall chief executive
cities
a large town
regulatory regional government/advisory regional government: Association of Bay Area Governments
advisory regional government
regulatory regional government/advisory regional government: Southern California Association of Governments
advisory regional government
charter counties
all of the state's most populous counties and one small county (Tehama); voters can adopt a charter for their county government by a majority vote
regional governments
an area-wide structure for local governance, designed to replace multiple jurisdictions; formed to cope with problems such as air pollution, waste management, growth control, affordable housing production, and transportation gridlock
In addition to the board of supervisors, identify the other elected or appointed county officers required by general law.
an assessor, a sheriff & a district attorney
Which of the following is the most common form of county government in California? a.) an informal county government b.) a county magistrate appointed by the governor c.) an elected five-member board of supervisors d.) a board composed of mayors whose cities reside within the county
an elected five-member board of supervisors; in all counties except San Francisco, an elected five-member board of supervisors controls the governing process
councils of government (COGs)
assemblies of delegates representing a region's counties and cities who join voluntarily and meet regularly to discuss common problems and regional issues; most important advisory regional government; two most prominent are the Southern California Association of Governments and Association of Bay Area Governments
Elections in which city council members are selected to represent the entire city rather than just one part of the city are called which of the following? a.) referenda b.) at-large elections c.) district elections d.) primary elections
at-large elections; under the at-large elections system, if a number of candidates compete for one of the three vacant seats on the council, all of the city's voters have the opportunity to vote for any three of them, and the top three vote-getters are declared the winners
charter cities
broader home-rule powers; citizens have more direct control over local affairs; all cities have the power to legislate as long as their local policies don't conflict with state or federal law; have the power to raise revenues, levy taxes, charge license and service fees, and borrow; may hire personnel as needed; exercise police powers to enforce local, state, and federal laws; condemn property for public use
user fees
charges levied by governments in exchange for services. Such fees constitute a type of hidden tax; charged by enterprise districts
Which of the following is not a characteristic of reform government at the local level? a.) at-large council elections b.) nonpartisanship c.) city manager plan d.) concurrent elections
concurrent elections
council-manager plan
council makes the policies and a hired professional administrator runs the day to day operations & answers to the council.; nearly all small- and medium-sized California cities, as well as San Jose and Sacramento; mayors are directly elected in about a third of these cities, but they perform mainly ceremonial duties and have no independent executive powers, such as the veto or budget control
general-law counties
counties that adhere to state law as to the number and duties of county elected officials; are prescribed the number and functions of elected county officials, how they are selected, and what they may or may not do as they raise revenue, spend money, and deliver services
school and community college districts
derive their authority from the California Education Code; governed by locally elected school boards, who set general policies and appoint a superintendent as chief executive officer
district elections
divides the city into districts and requires the voters in each district to elect one of the candidates running in that district to represent them on the council; 5% of cities
Nearly all of the state's airport, harbor and port, transit, water, waste, and hospital districts function as which type of district?
enterprise districts; enterprise districts are run like businesses and charge user fees for services; in fiscal year 2015-16, the state's enterprise districts generated a total of $21.98 billion in user fees
T/F: At the local government level, citizens cannot petition for a referendum or recall election.
false
T/F: Cities and counties that have home-rule charters have the authority to make their own laws even if they violate state and federal laws.
false
T/F: Despite decreasing availability of affordable homes in California's urban areas, the place of new building has kept up with demand, averting a housing shortage.
false
T/F: The U.S. Constitution gives local governments inherent rights and powers that cannot be taken away by state governments.
false
nonpartisan
free from party ties or bias; all local elections are by California law; pushed by the Progressive Era as a means to insulate the important business of local government from what they saw as the distracting and corrupting influence of partisan politics
general-law cities
general powers and structure are specified by the California Government Code enacted by the legislature
A California county that is governed under the broad legal framework spelled out in the state's constitution is referred to as a(n) ________ county, while a California county whose voters have adopted their own legal framework is referred to as a(n) _______ county.
general-law, charter
independent districts
governed by its own separate board of directors appointed by an authorizing agency or elected directly by the district's voters; 2/3 of special districts
special districts
government units created to perform particular functions, especially when those functions are best performed across jurisdictional boundaries
counties
largest territorial units between a state and a city or town
ordinances
laws passed at the local level by county boards of supervisors
reform governments
municipalities with strong managers and weak mayors, nonpartisan elections, at-large council elections, the tools of direct democracy, civil service systems of municipal employment and professionally run city planning commissions and departments; most medium-size American cities; nearly all of California's cities
enterprise districts
run like businesses and charge user fees for services; about 1/4 special districts; nearly all airport, harbor and port, transit, water, waste, and hospital districts
Which of the following elected officials can be found only in county governments? a.) sheriff b.) mayor c.) council member d.) manager
sheriff
at-large elections
voters elect council members citywide rather than by districts or wards; if a number of candidates compete for one of the three vacant seats on the council, all of the city's voters have the opportunity to vote for any three of them, and the top three vote-getters are declared the winners; more than 90% of California cities
Which of the following counties operates under a single charter as a consolidated city and county? a.) Los Angeles b.) Sacramento c.) San Francisco d.) Orange
San Francisco
Which of the following statements about noncitizen voting in California are accurate? a.) San Francisco allows noncitizen parents of children enrolled in public schools the right to vote in the city's school board elections. b.) Noncitizens were granted the right to vote in all county elections by the California Voting Rights Act of 2001. c.) Noncitizens are allowed to vote in state legislative primary elections but not in general elections. d.) Noncitizens are not currently allowed to vote in statewide general elections in California.
San Francisco allows noncitizen parents of children enrolled in public schools the right to vote in the city's school board elections & noncitizens are not currently allowed to vote in statewide general elections in California
T/F: ABAG is an example of a COG.
true
T/F: County boards of supervisors have both legislative and executive authority.
true
T/F: Most cities are governed by council-manager systems.
true
Place the average levels of voter turnout for different kinds of elections in order from lowest to highest. -the state of California's average voter participation rate in recent presidential elections -the national average voter participation rate in presidential elections -the average voter participation rate in competitive, two-candidate mayoral elections -the average voter participation rate in uncontested, one-candidate mayoral elections
-the average voter participation rate in uncontested, one-candidate mayoral elections -the average voter participation rate in competitive, two-candidate mayoral elections -the state of California's average voter participation rate in recent presidential elections -the national average voter participation rate in presidential elections
How many years are the terms of members of county boards of supervisors?
4; members of county boards of supervisors are elected by districts for staggered four-year terms
Which of the following statements about the process of municipal incorporation in California are accurate? a.) A petition for municipal incorporation must be submitted to the county's LAFCo. b.) Residents of the affected area are allowed to testify at any government hearing regarding the incorporation but are not allowed to directly vote on the incorporation plan. c.) The process of municipal incorporation is not finalized until the state legislature and governor approve the incorporation plan. d.) The county's LAFCo engages in an extensive review of all incorporation plans.
A petition for municipal incorporation must be submitted to the county's LAFCo & the county's LAFCo engages in an extensive review of all incorporation plans.
Which of the following statements best characterizes the powers exercised by county boards of supervisors in California? a.) County boards of supervisors have legislative authority to pass ordinances only. b.) County boards of supervisors have both legislative authority to pass ordinances and executive authority to administer them. c.) County boards of supervisors have executive authority to administer ordinances only. d.) County boards of supervisors have judicial authority to handle disputes over ordinances only.
County boards of supervisors have both legislative authority to pass ordinances and executive authority to administer them; county boards of supervisors not only pass ordinances at the local level, but they also control and supervise departments charged with administering these ordinances; this combination of legislative and executive authority gives county supervisors great power
Identify which of the following roles local agency formation commissions (LAFCos) have in California. a.) LAFCos help resolve conflicts among local governments that compete with one another for power and resources within their county jurisdictions. b.) LAFCos made the controversial decision to close all of the state's redevelopment agencies in 2012. c.) LAFCos review and approve all applications to establish charter schools in the state. d.) LAFCos are placed in charge of the process of consolidating municipal and superior trial courts into a single layer of superior courts.
LAFCos help resolve conflicts among local governments that compete with one another for power and resources within their county jurisdictions; for example, LAFCos review and approve all contractual service agreements between local governments and between local governments and the private sector
Suppose there was a project to build 500 low-cost housing units in your neighborhood. If you organized protests to stop this project from going into effect because you believe it would increase traffic, drive down housing prices, and create parking shortages in your neighborhood, what might you be accused of?
NIMBYism; NIMBY is an acronym for "Not In My Back Yard;" NIMBYism is a viewpoint that leads people to oppose the building of new housing projects in their neighborhoods; in the state of California, this viewpoint is a common problem that makes building new homes, especially low-cost homes, difficult
Which of the following statements about the Brown Act is accurate? a.) The Brown Act imposed term limits on city council members. b.) The Brown Act was designed to prevent secret meetings and backroom dealings of local government officials conducting public business. c.) The Brown Act required the disclosure of large categories of governmental records to the public upon request. d.) The Brown Act was drafted and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in 2012.
The Brown Act was designed to prevent secret meetings and backroom dealings of local government officials conducting public business; the Brown Act required that "all meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter"
Which of the following statements about the U.S. Constitution and local governments is most accurate? a.) The U.S. Constitution says nothing about local governments and assigns authority only to the national and state governments. b.) The U.S. Constitution declares that local governments have all powers that are "necessary and proper" for enhancing the "general well-being" of their city. c.) The U.S. Constitution declares that local governments will retain all powers "not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States." d.) The U.S. Constitution says, unlike the federal government and state governments, local governments cannot raise revenue through taxes.
The U.S. Constitution says nothing about local governments and assigns authority only to the national and state governments; while the powers of both the national government and state governments are discussed in detail, local governments are never mentioned anywhere in the U.S. Constitution
Which of the following statements about council-manager forms of government are accurate? a.) Under a council-manager form of government, voters elect a city council to engage in all legislating. b.) Nearly all small- and medium-sized California cities use a council-manager plan. c.) Under a council-manager form of government, cities do not have mayors. d.) Under a council-manager form of government, voters elect a city manager to run the administration.
Under a council-manager form of government, voters elect a city council to engage in all legislating & nearly all small- and medium-sized California cities use a council-manager plan.
Which of the following statements about instant runoff voting are accurate? a.) Voters are allowed to rank all of the candidates for an office by order of preference. b.) A number of city governments in California have recently adopted instant runoff voting. c.) There are at least three rounds of vote counting in which the candidate receiving the fewest votes is dropped from the list and his or her ballots are transferred to the remaining candidates. d.) The two candidates who receive the most votes in the November election compete against each other in a December runoff election.
Voters are allowed to rank all of the candidates for an office by order of preference & a number of city governments in California have recently adopted instant runoff voting.
local agency formation commission (LAFCo)
play a critical role in resolving conflicts among the many local governments that compete with one another; members are appointed by the county board of supervisors; -review and approve the incorporations of new cities, the formation of new special districts, and any proposed changes of jurisdictional boundaries -review and approve contractual service agreements between local governments and between local governments and the private sector -define the official spheres of influence for each city and special district -initiate proposals for consolidation, dissolution, mergers, and reorganizations
home rule
power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs; allow significant local discretion and autonomy
A _________ is a general law that applies to all special districts of a given type while a _________ is passed by the legislature to adapt a special district's structure, financing, and authority to unique local circumstances.
principal act, special act
Cities that adopted the institutions advocated by the Progressive movement, such as nonpartisan elections and direct democracy, after often referred to as which of the following? a.) reform governments b.) charter cities c.) general-law cities d.) Dillon's rule districts
reform governments; Progressives were particularly successful in getting cities in southwestern states to adopt their institutional reforms; most medium-size American cities and nearly all of California's cities are reform governments
advisory regional governments
regional planning, research, and advisory institutions; most important are regional councils of government
regulatory regional government/advisory regional government: California Coastal Commission
regulatory regional government
regulatory regional government/advisory regional government: South Coast Air Quality Management District
regulatory regional government
Which of the following is the best description of Dillon's rule? a.) the constitutional doctrine that gives state governments ultimate authority over local governments b.) the constitutional doctrine that gives local governments independence from state governments on all matters directly impacting their citizens c.) the legal requirement that all elected members of a city government reside within that city d.) the legal requirement that all tax increases imposed by city governments must be approved by a 2/3 vote of its residents
the constitutional doctrine that gives state governments ultimate authority over local governments; in 1868, Iowa judge John F. Dillon ruled that "municipal corporations" such as counties and cities were mere "creatures of the state" and could exercise only those powers delegated to them by the state
Dillon's Rule
the constitutional doctrine that gives state governments ultimate authority over local governments; the basic legal framework for relations between state and local governments
municipal incorporation
the creation of cities upon the request and consent of the residents in a given area; typically initiated by a citizen petition or by a resolution of the county board of supervisors
secession
the formal withdrawal of a state from the Union
direct democracy
the initiative, referendum, and recall; at the local and state levels, ordinary citizens have access to these tools bequeathed to them by Progressive Era reformers; if citizens gather the required number of valid signatures on formal petitions, they can initiate direct legislation, suspend implementation of council legislation, subject incumbent elected officials to a recall vote
Suppose the city you live in had too many mosquitoes but the city government refused to devote public funds to resolve the problem. If you wanted to create a special district focused on mosquito abatement, which of the following would you be required to do? a.) win the support of at least a majority of voters in an election b.) submit an application describing the special district to your county's local agency formation commission (LAFCo) c.) receive approval for your application from your LAFCo, your city's mayor, and your board of supervisors d.) undergo a fiscal impact examination from the state Department of Finance
win the support of at least a majority of voters in an election & submit an application describing the special district to your county's local agency formation commission (LAFCo)
