Local Govt. and politics in Texas
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Impact of local Govt.
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the streets, water supply, sanitation services, law enforcement to protect or persons and property, fire protection including EMC, parks and recreational facilities, inspections of restaurant....etc.
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Development of local Govt. in Texas
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Roots emerge in England (shire) and in colonial America - few people lived in Texas when it was governed by Spain and then Mexico
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How many Districts does Texas have
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23 large districts
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Texas districts are governed by
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a council-a judge-an attorney- a sheriff- and a secretary
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1827 _________ directed these local governments to establish schools
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Constitution of Coahuila y tejas
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when the republic of Texas formed what happened to the districts..?
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the districts became counties
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cities also created as ...
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\" municipal corporations\"
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Forms of local GOVT...
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Municipal ( 1,200 cities and towns) - counties (254) -special districts (more than 3,000)
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Characteristics of local govt...
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covers a geographic area - legal authority to carry out govt. functions *taxing authority*spending authority*providing services*controlled y elected or appointed officials
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Texas has how many cities
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1,210
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Texas number of counties
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254
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Texas number of special districts
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3,334
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Texas largest county
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Harris
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Texas largest city population
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Houston 2 million citizens
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Texas adopted a constitutional amendment that allowed cities to decide their own structure, and with some limits, their powers.... called what..?
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Home Rule : the right and authority of a local government to govern itself, rather than have the state govern it
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County Government
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administrative arm of the state - provide local services, especially to residents who do not live in a municipality - Structure * established in the Texas constitution* single form for all counties regardless of population* officials chosen for 4- year terms in partisan elections
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elected official who is the chief administrative officer of county government, presides over the commissioners court, and may also have some judicial functions
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County Judge
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The legislative body of a county in Texas - county commissioners elected to serve on this court plus the county judge
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Commissioner Court
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**Functions (adopts county budget and sets tax rate- provides public facilities such as jails-maintains county roads and bridges-administers and finances elections) **individually, commissioners are responsible for county roads & bridges in their precinct. - **Many counties have a county engineer and unit road system
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The Commissioners court ( 3 things)
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Structure of the county Government
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1) district attorney(DA) 2) county attorney 3)Sheriff
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Elected official who prosecutes criminal cases - also called a criminal _____ .
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District attorney (DA)
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elected official serving as the legal officer for county government and also as a criminal prosecutor
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County Attorney
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Sheriff
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serves as the chief law enforcement officer in the county. enforces state laws and is the executive officer of the county court.
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presides over criminal & civil cases in county court.
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county judge at law in larger counties
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presides over the justice court - constable is the executive officer of the justice court
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Justices of the peace
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Structure of the county government
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County clerk - district clerk - county tax assessor - county treasurer - county auditor
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Elected official who serves as the clerk for the commissioners court and for county records
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county clerk
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elected official who is responsible for keeping the records for the district court
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district clerk
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elected official who collects taxes for the county ( and perhaps other local governments)
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County tax assessor - collector
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elected official who serves as the money manager for county government
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county treasurer
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official appointed by a district judge to audit county finances
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county auditor
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county auditor- health officer- county agriculture agent- there may be others depending on county services..(county librarian, administrator of county airport. County sanitation etc.
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appointed officers
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the Texas statutory code containing state laws about local governments
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local government code
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local government code - Texas governments do not have general ordinance( making authority ) - Elections
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authority of county governments
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this is the legal right to adopt ordinances covering a wide array of subject areas, authority that cities have but counties do not - elgin bank v. travis county 1999 -
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Texas govt. do not have general ordinance- making authority.
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Historically counties have relied on ...?
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property taxes
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Based on value - Kinds of property
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real- land & attached buildings ** tangible personal **In-tangible personal
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In recent years, counties have increased their reliance on fee revenues like...
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shared fees with the state- certain motor vehicle fees & taxes, liquor license fees and taxes traffic fines **Jury fees, breath- testing fees**federal and state revenue**Bonds
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Incorrect assumption that one size fits all - lack of home-rule authority (inability to design county on a local basis to meet the needs of residents) - Border counties ( _colonias_ settlement of low- income people in areas without services such as water and sewerage disposal.)
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Issues in county government
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Municipal corporation- ( body politic and corporate) - formed by the voters but requires a charter from the state - can be abolished by the voters
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Municipal Governments
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Texas has how many home-rule cities?
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315
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besides the home rule cities the others are ___ ? ( cities with fewer than 5,000 resdients, are governed by a _______ rather than by a locally adopted charter. ** 2 word
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General law
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what are the forms of home rule city government?
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strong mayor-council and weak mayor-council
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Most popular for large, american cities, but used by only houston. Mayor has appointive, removal, budgetary, and veto authority.
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Strong mayor- council
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Trend away from this form. mayor is a co-equal with council members
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Weak mayor-council
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most popular for Texas's home-rule cities. Mayor and _____ are co-equals in adopting policy. Manager is appointed and implements policy
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Council-Manager
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not used by any home-rule city. each ______ responsible for a city department. No chief executive.
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Commision
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_____ have autority to provide serv. directly to citizens. (sometimes through franchise to private companies) Have broad regulatory authority in areas of zoning, buildings, signs, nuisances, and subdivision development.-Ordinance making authority(city ordinances -speed limits, non-smoking, leach laws, etc.)
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Authority and Functions of City Government
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cities raise revenues from several sources such as?
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Municipal sales tax, property taxes, occupation taxes, fees, state and federal revenues, and borrowing ( bond sales)
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Finances of city government use both _____ and _____ as tools for long range planning and management of debt and revenue.
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capital budgeting and operating budgeting.
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enlargment of a city's corporate limits by incorporating surrounding territory into the city
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Annexation
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The area outside a city's boundaries over which the city may exercise limited control. Under the municipal annexation act, a city may expand its municipal boundaries by an area up to 10 percent of its geographic area in any one year.
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Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ET)
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In order to annex, a city must take the following steps: (1999 amendments)
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Develop a three-year plan for annexation, and not annex the targeted area during that three-year period Make an inventory of the current services in the area Provide to the annexed area all services currently provided in its full-purpose boundaries no later than two and one-half years after annexation Require negotiations and arbitration regarding services Conduct at least two public hearings Not reduce level of services in the area from what they were before annexation
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Municipal elections are ....
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Nonpartisan
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city council elections tend to be ..........?? An election system in which all positions on the council or governing body are filled by city-wide, elections, with each position designated as a seat, and candidates must choose which place to run for
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\"at-large\" or \"at-large-by-place.\"
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what type of district weakened monopoly over municipal politics in texas
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Single-member
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Single-function governmental unit that serves a specific group of people in a particular geographic area Governed by an elected board Many have taxing authority or the authority to impose fees
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Special Districts
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Public schools (approximately 1,000) Junior and community colleges (50)
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School District
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(approximately 2,200) Provide a variety of services such as fire protection, hospitals, crime control, and water supply
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Non-education special districts
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School board is elected in a _____ _____ _____. Makes policy within state & federal limits. the board appoints a superintendent of schools.
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non- partisan election
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____ runs the district on a day to day basis
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The superintendent
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School Finance * Sources of Revenue*
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Federal funds-State funds-Local property taxes- Other Revenue
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school finance* Cost of 3 elements ______,______,_____ are shared by the state & local districts.
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salaries, transportation, & operations.
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School finance* state funds based on ....
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Average daily attendance Types of students Local economic condition
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whats is a contoversial issuin Texas and why?
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School finance- 1993 school-finance reform recaptures and redistributes school tax revenues by limiting school district revenues, capping tax rates in districts, and adjusting the state aid formula to guarantee a specified yield per tax effort for districts
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texas supreme court mandated funding...
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equalization
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Legislature created a wealth equalization plan called...._____ which required wealthier districts ( chapter 41' districts) to share revenue with poorer districts.
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Robin Hood Plan
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what did court uphold.....___?
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constitutionality
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passed ____________ to reduce school property taxes & to equalize funding among school districts
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legislature in 2006
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Revenue from an expansion of the franchise tax, $1/pack increase in the tobacco tax, & stricter enforcement of the sales and use tax for used automobiles would be earmarked for the fund
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(1/3 robin hood relief)
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Junior college board elected in a _____ ______ election.
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Non- partisan
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*Makes policy * Appoints a President to run daily operations of the college
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junior college board
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College funds buildings, property, etc. Now responsible for some instruction Local property tax, tuition & fees, auxiliary funds State funds some instruction cost based on contact hours
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Junior College Funding
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Texas Association of Regional Governments Associations of local governments 24 regional councils Service and assist member government Corporation & coordination between local governments
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COG's
