Local Government

which is strictly followed in Texas, dictates that local governments have only those powers granted by the state government, those powers implied in the state grant, and those indispensable to their functioning.

Dillon's Rule

Initiative refers to the power of residents in home rule cities to remove what they perceive as unpopular or unnecessary laws.

False; that is a referendum

Boasting state-of-the-art stadiums complete with instant replay and luxury boxes, local football is an expensive undertaking in Texas. According to the video, spending on such amenities has occurred at a time when education budgets have been slashed across the state, causing some to question the priorities of those who cut. funding fortextbooks for students for the sake of the stadiums.

High school football stadiums are full of amenities with high price tags. Those who see a greater educational value in the classroom than on the football field question this spending, which coincided with a time of tightened budgets and cuts in items such as textbooks for students and health benefits for teachers

1. Texas has the sixth highest mean effective property tax of any state.

1.90 %

General law cities typically have populations less than ________.

5000 and do not get to draft their own city charters

All counties in Texas have the same basic structure, as dictated bystate law, with little localized variation. Critics take issue with the fact that employment in county government is not based ona merit system but rather is often determined by political or personal relationships. Critics contend that this leads to inefficienci

As one of the 13 states in the nation without county home rule, Texas dictates as a matter of state law that all 254 counties are organized in basically the same way with functions that serve the needs of the state rather than those of a particular community. Another issue with county government concerns county employment. No consistent merit system of employment exists at the county level in Texas. As a result, employment is often based on political and personal relationships rather than a candidate's level of education or ability to do the work required.

Candidates elected in this manner run citywide and, once elected, represent the entire city as opposed to a specific district, or part of the municipality.

At-large

An elected city council hires a city manager.Council-manager A sole executive and a legislative body are each separately elected to govern a city.Mayor-council Members of the municipal government serve as department heads.Commission

In order to get away from the problem of patronage and boss rule often associated with mayor-council systems, city councils began to hire managers to run municipal governments on a day-to-day basis. The role of city manager often includes coordinating budgetary matters and supervising administration of the municipality. With a hired city manager, this type of government is commonly referred to as the council-manager form and is used by most of the home-rule cities in Texas. In the mayor-council form of government, a mayor (serving as the sole executive) and members of a city council (serving as a legislative body) are elected separately. Under this system, the amount of power granted to a mayor varies from city to city. Most large cities in the United States use this form of government. In the commission form of municipal government, administrative department heads are separately elected to govern respective areas of policy. First created in the city of Galveston following the devastating hurricane of 1900, this type of government is no longer used by any of the home-rule cities in Texas.

Local politics in Texas is sometimes contentious and rarely boring. It often involves issues related to government spending, education, and athletics. Which statements are generally true of local governments in Texas? Check all that apply. Local governments in Texas are created by the state under the authority of the state constitution. According to the Texas state constitution, counties are prohibited from raising revenue through any form of taxation. Municipalities in Texas receive funding only from local sources and never from the state or federal government. Types of local governments in Texas include cities, counties, and special districts.

Local governments in Texas are created by the state under the authority of the state constitution. Types of local governments in Texas include cities, counties, and special districts.

Single-member districts with a majority of ethnic minorities increase the chance of electing a Latino, African American, or Asian American candidate to the city council.

Single member

There are about 2,300 noneducational special districts in Texas that handle road, hospital, airport, and tax appraisals

The Texas Legislature has established special districts for transit, soil conservation, waste disposal, rivers, and even sports facilities by statute.

Home rule cities enjoy much more power and autonomy than general law cities

True; While home rule cities enjoy more power than general law cities, so too do the residents of home rule cities compared to their counterparts living in general law cities

Based on the simulation, the City of Houston must have what form of city government? a. A strong mayor form of government. b. A weak mayor form of government. c. A Commission form of government. d. A Manager Council form of government

a. A strong mayor form of government.

A strong mayor has the authority to do all of the following except: a. Appoint a commission to investigate a matter of great importance to you. b. Direct the police department to prioritize investigation of certain matters of importance. c. Propose a city ordinance that meets a policy priority of your office. d. Hold a press conference to raise awareness about an issue of importance to you.

a. Appoint a commission to investigate a matter of great importance to you.

In a commission form of government, the elected commissioners a. act as a policymaking board. b. act like a city manager in a weak form of government. c. rely on a single executive. d. rely on referendums for direction.

a. act as a policymaking board.

What is the major policymaking body in Texas county government? a. commissioners court b. county council c. district court d. county congress

a. commissioners court

Tula lives in Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky, where they consolidate local governments into one "umbrella" government for the entire metropolitan area. This is an example of a a. metro government. b. special district. c. general-law city. d. nonpartisan government.

a. metro government.

In the council-manager form of city government, the city manager is responsible for a. preparing annual budgets and making policy recommendations. b. drafting initiatives. c. maintaining partisan support. d. listening to citizen demands and concerns.

a. preparing annual budgets and making policy recommendations

One of the problems with nonpartisan elections is they a. tend to be less issue oriented and more personal. b. require all eligible voters to register for the election. c. tend to have high turnouts, causing vote counts to be lengthy. d. are generally expensive for the taxpayers.

a. tend to be less issue oriented and more personal.

In the 1960s, the Texas Legislature created voluntary associations of local governments, or regional planning bodies known as a. metro government. b. councils of governments. c. special districts. d. commissioner's courts.

b. councils of governments.

Redistricting for the city council districts in Texas occurs a. every time the citizens of Texas demand it. b. every ten years following the U.S. Census. c. once every year. d. only when a city calls for a special election to change the political boundaries.

b. every ten years following the U.S. Census.

In Texas, the funding of community colleges differs from public universities in that they also receive support from a. federal aid. b. property taxes raised by the local district. c. private donations. d. student tuition and fees.

b. property taxes raised by the local district.

Who usually holds the most prominent and influential position in Texas county government? a. the county sheriff b. the county judge c. the county attorney d. the county treasurer

b. the county judge

Which of the following challenges clearly impacts grassroots governments? a. constituent interference b. voter apathy c. federal restrictions d. corruption

b. voter apathy

Who is responsible for issuing marriage licenses in Texas? a. county judge b. county treasurer c. county clerk d. justice of the peace

c. county clerk

This term describes a document that establishes and organizes city government.

charter

This term means a regional organization of local government units brought together for the purpose of reviewing proposals, planning, and cooperation

council of governments

Which official keeps county records, handles paperwork, and preserves election results?

county clerk The county clerk is the county's chief record keeper. Responsibilities of this position include keeping county records of events such as births, deaths, and marriages; handling paperwork for matters such as mortgages, wills, and contracts; and preserving election results.

Sarah was just elected a county judge in Texas. How long a term will she serve? a. two years b. one year c. lifetime d. four years

d. four years

According to the text, the council-manager form of government seems to work best when the city a. has significant racial and ethnic diversity. b. is a home-rule city. c. is a general-law city. d. has mostly the same social class and ethnic group.

d. has mostly the same social class and ethnic group.

In Texas, public school districts are governed by a. superintendents. b. appointed administrators. c. school principals. d. popularly elected boards of trustees.

d. popularly elected boards of trustees.

What is usually the most important revenue source for county governments? a. income taxes b. federal grants-in-aid c. bonds d. property taxes

d. property taxes

The challenge Texas' education system faces regarding school finance involves two primary issues: equity and how much should be spent .

equity and how much should be spent .

The governing body of Texas counties, known as the commissioners court, consists of a county judge and which of the following elected officials?

four county commissioners The commissioners court is the governing body of a county in the state of Texas. It consists of a county judge and the four county commissioners over whom the county judge presides. County judge is a partisan position decided in a countywide election held every four years. County commissioners are elected in partisan elections from districts that have been drawn to contain roughly the same number of residents. Commissioners serve staggered four-year terms, so that two commissioners stand for election every other year.

Most cities in Texas, especially those with fewer than 5,000 people, are classified as this type, with limited governing abilities.

general-law city

Texas has two legal classifications of cities: general-law cities and home-rule cities.

home-rule

special districts in Texas cut across city and county boundaries and rely on a 1 percent sales tax.

mass transit

All city elections in Texas are of this type, operating without labels of identification.

nonpartisan

The state of Texas has more than 1,000 of these independent special districts related to education.

school districts

This form of government is often classified by whether or not it relates to education.

special districts

This acronym means a regional organization of local government units brought together for the purpose of reviewing proposals, planning, and cooperation.

COG

Which of the following statements about local government is false?

Cities are the most common form of local government in the United States. Instead Local Government would be the most common