GOV 2306 Quiz 1 Ch 10 Blinn – Flashcards
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Why are Texas counties important?
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They provide the main form of government in rural areas.
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Which of the following statements about counties in Texas is INCORRECT?
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All counties have approximately the same number of people.
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What is the most important expenditure of most county commissioners' courts?
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roads and bridges
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The job of serving legal papers at the precinct level of a county goes to the ________.
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constable
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Which of the following is a source of often unanticipated costs faced by county governments?
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the financial burden of capital murder trials
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The chief law-enforcement officer in county governments is the
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sheriff
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The ________ is a public official who is the main record keeper of court documents.
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district clerk
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The most important social service provided by counties is
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the provision of emergency welfare assistance.
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Home-rule charters provide for all of the following EXCEPT
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consisting of a population less than 5,000.
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A ________ form of government is one in which public policies are developed by the city council and executive and administrative functions are assigned to a professional city manager.
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council manager
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San Antonio operates under which style of city government?
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council manager
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Which of the following is NOT a key difference between the mayor-council and the council-manager forms of local government?
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In the council-manager system, local politics is viewed as a full-time job, unlike in the mayor-council system.
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What is an at-large election?
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an election in which voters elect officials from the entire geographical area, rather than from a smaller district within the area
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Which of the following statements about the commissioner form of government is FALSE?
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The commissioner form of government is currently popular among the largest cities in Texas.
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Commissioner forms of government were at their height of popularity
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in 1918, during the Progressive era.
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Which of the following cities currently has a city government with a strong mayor-council form of government?
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houston
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The mayor and city council members are subject to recall if ________ percent of the qualified voters in a district sign a petition of recall and a recall election is successful.
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10
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________ is a unit of local government that performs a single service in a limited geographic area.
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Special District
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Which of the following is the most common form of local government in Texas?
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special districts
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A school board can do all of the following EXCEPT
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draft standardized evaluation exams.
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In Texas, ________ create(s) special districts.
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Texas voters in the areas that will be covered
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What are the main sources of revenue for special districts in Texas?
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property taxes and user fees
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Special districts in Texas are
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democratic in theory, but often not in practice.
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Which problem has been found recently in the system of special districts?
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Real estate developers have moved a few people onto land, rent free, who then vote for huge bond measures that future residents are obliged to pay.
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What is the function of the 24 councils of government in Texas today?
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They are a regional board meant to coordinate local planning and economic development.
