Govt Chapt. 10 Quiz – Flashcards

What is the main difference between a home-rule city and a general-law city? a. A general-law city is chartered for localities with a population of fewer than 5,000 persons. b. A general-law city does not have a mayor. c. A general-law city has no power to set the property tax. d. A general-law city has no city council. e. A general-law city is the name for all cities incorporated after 1901.

What is the main difference between a special district and a county? a. Special districts are created by municipalities, while counties are created by the state. b. A special district provides only one specific service within a geographic region. c. There are no major differences. d. A county is formed in terms of population density, while a special district is created geographically. e. Special districts are controlled by incorporated cities, unlike county government.

As the number of urban areas grew in the state in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the management of local affairs became such a growing burden on the state legislature that it passed the ________. a. major council form of government b. general law city c. home-rule charter d. county charter e. city charter

Which problem has been found recently in the system of special districts? a. State investigations have discovered numerous "phantom districts" that do not provide a service, yet bill the local counties for administrative costs. b. Some districts have dealt with people buying property just outside the district boundaries and then demanding services from the district without having to pay for them. c. There has been widespread corruption among board members receiving bribes from citizens to lower their user fees. d. 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. e. The special districts for homeland security throughout Texas were uncoordinated and ill- prepared for September 11, 2001.

The chief financial officer for a city is called the a. city auditor. b. city manager. c. mayor. d. sheriff. e. city controller.

The law enforcement budget at the county level is approved by the ________. a. constable b. county commissioners' court c. city council d. sheriff e. county judge

What is an at-large election? a. an election in which voters elect officials from the entire geographical area, rather than from a smaller district within the area b. an election for offices that receive no official salary c. an election held under the commission system of city government d. an election in which one or more candidates are under criminal indictment e. an election in which anyone can vote, even those not previously registered

The ________ is a public official who is the main record keeper of court documents. a. county auditor b. district clerk c. county tax assessor-collector d. county clerk e. county judge

Texas has 254 county governments. True False

The chief executive officer of each county in Texas is the sheriff. True False

Community colleges in Texas are allotted their own special districts. True False

The commissioners' court is similar to a judicial court. True False

All county officials in Texas are appointed by the governor and serve two-year terms. True False

Flood control is managed through special districts because a. most waterways in Texas are managed by special districts. b. the Texas Constitution forbids both cities and the state from spending money on flood prevention. c. the Galveston hurricane of 1900 revealed the inefficiency and slowness of state government in responding to local disasters. d. flooding is seldom contained in a single city or county. e. most cities do not have the infrastructure to handle large flooding.

Which of the following statements about the commissioner form of government is FALSE? a. The commissioner form of government is currently popular among the largest cities in Texas. b. The commissioner form of government does not have separately elected mayors. c. The commissioner form of government was designed to bring good business practices into local government. d. Commissioners are generally elected on an at-large basis. e. In the commissioner form of government, the commission acts in both legislative and executive capacities.

All of the following are functions of county government EXCEPT a. flood control. b. record keeping. c. county tax rates. d. bridge and road construction. e. law enforcement.

County governments are most important for administering rural areas throughout Texas. True False

The chief law-enforcement officer in county governments is the a. county attorney. b. constable. c. justice of the peace. d. sheriff. e. city police chief.

One problem with special districts is that sometimes local government officials work in relative obscurity, avoiding media and public scrutiny. True False

In Texas, ________ create(s) special districts. a. the Texas legislature b. Texas voters in the areas that will be covered c. the governor d. city councils e. the county commissioners' court, with local voter approval

What are the main sources of revenue for special districts in Texas? a. property taxes and federal grants b. property taxes and user fees c. income taxes and sales taxes d. sales taxes and property taxes e. income taxes and user fees

In the case Avery v. Midland County, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a. special districts had to be approved by the voters. b. educational spending levels had to be roughly the same throughout the state. c. the principle of "one person, one vote" applied to county commissioners' courts. d. the practice of hanging was in violation of the Eighth Amendment. e. some county governments in Texas were far too big, making them extremely powerful.

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. a. 5 b. 20 c. 10 d. 15 e. 25

San Antonio and Dallas both have council-manager forms of government. True False

In large Texas counties, the ________ prepares the county budget. a. clerk b. auditor c. sheriff d. constable e. tax assessor-collector

A school board can do all of the following EXCEPT a. Adopt a budget for the district. b. Draft standardized evaluation exams. c. Select textbooks for classroom use. d. Hire principals and faculty. e. Set overall policy for the school district.

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. a. Commissioner b. Council manager c. Council mayor d. Mayor-city manager e. County judge-mayor

The mayor-council form of government is most common in a. Smaller general-law cities. b. Large metropolitan cities. c. Newer, high-growth "exurbs." d. Northern Texas cities. e. Southern Texas cities.

Which of the following is NOT a function of county government in Texas? a. Supervising road and bridge maintenance b. Administering water districts c. Setting a county's tax rates d. Maintaining the county jail e. County law enforcement

Which of the following is NOT a key difference between the mayor-council and the council-manager forms of local government? a. The council-manager style was meant to reduce the possibility of corruption that the mayor-council system may bring. b. The council-manager system is the most popular form of government throughout the United States for cities with over 10,000 residents. c. In the council-manager system, the chief executive is a city manager, not a mayor. d. In the council-manager system, local politics is viewed as a full-time job, unlike in the mayor-council system. e. In the council-manager system, local politics is viewed as a part-time job, unlike in the mayor-council system.