Chapter 13: Local Government in Texas – Flashcards
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COMMUNITY COMMISSIONERS COURT
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the main governing body of each county; has the authority to set the county tax rate and budget.
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COUNTY JUDGE
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the person in each of Texas' 254 counties who presides over the constitutional county courts and county commissioners court, with responsibility for the administration of county government; some county judges carry out judicial responsibilities.
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COUNTY COMMISSIONER
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government official (four per county) on the county commissioners court whose main duty is the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges.
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CONSTABLE
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precinct-level county official involved with serving legal papers and, in some counties, enforcing the law.
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COUNTY ATTORNEY
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county official who prosecutes lesser criminal cases in the county court.
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DISTRICT ATTORNEY
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public official who prosecutes the more serious criminal cases in the district court.
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COUNTY CLERK
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public official who is the main record-keeper of the county.
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DISTRICT CLERK
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public official who is the record-keeper of the district court.
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COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR
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public official who maintains the county tax records and collects the taxes owed to the county.
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COUNTY AUDITOR
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public official, appointed by the district judges, who receives and disburses county funds; in large counties, this official also prepares the county budget.
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HOME-RULE CHARTER
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the rules under which a city operates.
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MAYOR-COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT
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a form of city government in which the mayor is the chief executive and the city council is the legislative body; in the strong mayor-council variation, the mayor's powers enable him or her to control executive departments and the agenda of the city council; in the weak mayor-council variation, the mayor's power is more limited.
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AT-LARGE ELECTION
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an election in which officials are selected by voters of the entire geographical area, rather than from smaller districts within that area.
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SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT
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an electorate that is allowed to elect only one representative for each district.
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COMMISSIONER FORM OF GOVERNMENT
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a form of city government in which the city is run by a small group of elected commissioners who act in both legislative and executive capacities.
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COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT
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a form of city government 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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SPECIAL DISTRICT
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a unit of local government that performs a single service, such as , education or sanitation within a limited geographic area.
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SCHOOL DISTRICT
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a specific type of special district that provides public education in a designated area.
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NON-SCHOOL SPECIAL DISTRICT
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any special district other than a school district; examples include municipal utility districts (MUDs) and hospital districts.
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MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT (MUD)
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a special district that offers services such as electricity, water, sewage, and sanitation outside the city limits.
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PROPERTY TAX
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a tax based on an assessment of the value of one's property, which is used to fund the services provided by local governments, such as education.
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USER FEE
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a fee paid for a public goods and services, such as water or sewage service.
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HIDDEN GOVERNMENT
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a term that refers to special districts of which many citizens are unaware.
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COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT (COG)
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a regional planning board composed of local elected officials and some private citizens from the same area.
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WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A TYPE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOUND IN TEXAS?
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council of government.
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THE BASIC GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY IS KNOWN AS _______.
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a county commissioners court.
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HOW MANY COUNTIES ARE THERE IN TEXAS?
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254
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THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1975 STATES _____.
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all county commissioners' precincts must be equal in population
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A COUNTY JUDGE _____.
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presides over the constitutional county court and the county commissioner's court.
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__________ ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JAIL AND THE SAFETY OF THE PRISONERS.
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sheriff.
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5,000
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the minimum population a city must have to adopt a home-rule charter.
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THE TWO LEGAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF TEXAS CITIES ARE _____.
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general law and home rule.
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STRONG MAYOR-COUNCIL FORM OF A CITY GOVERNMENT IS ______.
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the form of city government that allows the mayor to establish control over most of the city's government.
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A CITY CONTROLLER ______.
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is a city's chief financial officer.
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WHICH LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES A SINGLE SERVICE NOT PROVIDED BY ANY OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT?
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special district.
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WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS FOUND IN TEXAS?
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school and non-school.
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A SPECIAL DISTRICT ______.
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is a unit of local government that provides a special service to a limited geographic area.
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A MUD _______.
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serves the needs of developers.
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COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT _______.
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comprehensive planning and service delivery in a specific geographic area.
