Examen 4 – Flashcard
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What are local governments?
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-Subdivisions of state governments (NO independents authority or inherent powers) -Exercise authority delegated by their state -Local governments only have powers granted by the state
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1.- What are some of the reasons it is difficult to generalize about local governments?
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Great diversity in goverment. -Form of organization -Powers, responsabilities, method of selection of officials.
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Localities in the U.S.
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-Diversity of communities Geographic and population size, socioeconomic composition -Great diversity in their governments Form and organization Powers, responsabilities, method of selection of officials -Trends More urban = demand of more services Increased centralization and professionalization of local governments
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2.- What is meant by the "service function" and "political function" of local governments? Give an example of a local government serving its community in each function.
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Political service: Providing services not offered by private sector. Examples: Political function: Managing conflict over public policy. Examples:
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Dissatisfaction with public services
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Options: tolerate, move, or try to effect a change
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TIEBOUT MODEL
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-cities compete for residents with public services -Residents "vote with their feet"
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4.- How do general-purpose and special-purpose governments differ?
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General purpose: Provide wide range of services. Special purpose: Fulfill specific purpose, most are single-purpose.
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4.- General Purpose governments
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-County Responsible for law enforcement, courts, roads, elections, and public records -City Responsible for police, fire, parks, streets, sanitation, welfare.
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4.- Special Purpose governments
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-School districts Public elementary and seocndary education (Independent School Districts [ISD], Depednent School Districts) -Special Districts (Most common type of government, but little known and understood) Usually serve single specific purposes
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5.- What are some of the traditional functions of county governments?
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Commissioners (3-50 members) Major responsibilities include building and maintaining roads, recreational facilities
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5.- What characterizes the shift from the traditional county commission structure to other forms?
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-Traditional County Commission Structure -Structure and powers defined by TX Constitution
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What is a city?
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Legal status - "municipal corporation" Governed by a Charter
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Charter
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-State grants power of self government to incorporated community. -Determines structure and powers of city government
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6.- What are the various kinds of municipal charters?
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-SPECIAL ACT -GENERAL ACT -OPTIONAL -HOME RULE
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SPECIAL ACT Charter
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-Special enactment by state legislature -Entrenched control -Approval required for changes
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GENERAL ACT Charter
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-Legislature defines size of cities -Municipal laws uniformly applied
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OPTIONAL Charter
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-Legislature gives some choice in government form -Greater flexibility
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HOME RULE Charter
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-Community adopts own form of government -Voter approval required for adoption of charter
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Cities in TX-General Law (General Act)
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-Smaller cities -limited powers of self-government -state law defines powers and duties -NO powers beyond this
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Cities in TX-Home rule
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-cities over 5000 may adopt charter -"full power of self government' -CAN do all but what legislature forbids
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7.- How does Dillon's rule restrict the powers of local governments?
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-Narrow interpretation of local authority -Local government only have powers granted by the state
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Advantages of HOME RULE
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1. Reduced legislative interference in city affairs 2. State legislature can focus on state affairs 3. Citizen participation and choice of government
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Distadvantages of HOME RULE
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1. Frequent amendments of charter = instability 2. Potential policy fragmentation 3. Local IG have freer hand 4. Long ballots (May discourage participation)
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8.- What are some of the forms city government can take?
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-Commission -Council-manager -Mayor-council -Town meeting -Representative town meeting
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8.- Commission
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-Elected commissioners form small governing board -Combined executive and legislative
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8.- Council-manager
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-Elected council makes policy and sets budget -Appoints city manager to carry out city business
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8.- Mayor-council
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-Varies greatly based on formal powers of mayor
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8.- Town meeting
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-All voters decide policy and elected officials carry it out
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8.- Representative town meeting
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-Voters select citizens to represent them at meetings -Board of Selectmen implements policy
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9.- In terms of the relative powers and responsibilities of the mayor and the council, what are some of the distinctions between strong mayor-council and weak mayor-council forms of government? Under what circumstances are 'strong' mayors more common?
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Strong: -Separation of powers council=legislative mayor=chief executive with veto -Mayor appointment and removal powers manages departments and daily operations agenda setting power fiscal power over budget Weak: -Council has legislative and executive authority -Mayor limited agenda setting power limited executive power over city government -Mayor=ceremonial, figurehead role
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Human diversity=policy disagreement
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1. Jobs 2. Income 3. racial and ethnic difference 4. Political views 5. Cultural, religious, and moral values
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1.- What is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)? How metropolitan is Texas in terms of how many MSAs it has and where most of its residents live?
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MSA: -Core urban are of 50K people with adjacen counties -Adjacent areas: predominantly urban population with close ties to central city Metropolitan Texas -3 of the 10 largest in US cities -24 MSAs -Dallas-forth worth-arlington -Houston-the woodlands-sugar land -San antonio-new braunfels
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2.- What key traits characterize metropolitan life?
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1. number and density 2. heterogeneity of population 3. social and economic interdependence 4. authority fragmented between many governments
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3.- What are some of the typical demographic difference one might expect to see between the residents of suburbs and those who live in the urban core of a city? What do many cite as the primary reason for choosing to move to the suburbs?
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Social class-traditionally suburbs = middle class Income-Poverty often concentrated in inner cities and old suburbs Race-Less racial diversity in suburbs ("white flight" + history of discriminatory hosing policies) Partisanship-Central city usually democrat, suburbs lean republican Taxes-Low taxes a draw in early sburbs Lifestyle-Suburbs associated with children-centered families. School!
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Suburban sprawl
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-Outward extension of low-density residential areas -Declining older suburbs -Problem of the flight
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4.- What is gentrification, and why is it so controversial?
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Gentrification-Revitalization of neighborhood via influx of higher income residents Problem: Rising prices drive older residents out.
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7.- What solutions do regionalism and localism advance for providing services and addressing the common problems of metropolitan areas? What are the common arguments in favor of each position?
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Regionalism: Centralizing and consolidating governments and services Arguments for: -reducing costs and economies -suborbanites shouldn't get to free ride -Clear lines of responsability Localism:Local governments saty separate and provide services for own communities Arguments for: -community identity -decentralization of power -schools
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8.- What does the Tiebout Model claim about an individual (or business's) choice of community of residence? What are some of the shortcomings of this model?
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Tibeout model 1. local governments exist in a marketplace 2. governments offer varouis services for various prices 3. persons and business relocate to preferred community Problems: -assumption of mobility, choice, and perfect information -igonres interdependence of metropolis
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9.- What are some of the methods metropolitan areas have used to manage their continued growth, providing services, and addressing problems for the region?
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annexation: -extension of city boundaries over unincorpotared areas (sometimes requires residents approval) -interjurisdictional agreements (contracts made between governments to perform services, share functions) -special districts (create new single purpose governments to tackle problem)
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Municipal annexation in TX
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TX Constitutional amendment 1912 -Home rule cities get broad power to annex adjoining territory (Unilateral annexation without residents consent) Municipal Annexation Act 1963 -Reasonable limitations imposed (Response of annexation abuse)
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1.- What claims do elite models make concerning political power and community governance? By contrast, what do pluralist models claim?
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-Elite Model: Power concentrated in the hands of a few Local business and financial leaders, elected leaders as "gofers" -Pluralist Model: Power fragmented and dispersed Many competing centers of power
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Community elites
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(Local) mortgage-lending banks developers, builders landowners
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Goals of elites
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Maximize land value Rents, mortgage interests, and revenues Pro growth census
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National institutions control most economic resources such as....
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Banks Investment firms Corporations National government
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3.- In what ways do political elites differ from economic elites?
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Economic elites -part time politicians -used local government to ptomote interests (growth an personal wealth) Political elites -professional politicians -motivated by personal ambition -Lack of pro growth census
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4.- What are some ways in which the costs of growth may be borne unevenly by individuals and groups within the community?
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-Collective benefits for entire community -Particular costs Airports, pipelines, waste disposal must go somewhere (LULU-locally unwanted land use) -Distribution of costs can be quite unequal Environmental justice concerns, more LULUs near minority neighborhoods
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5.- What are some of the anti-growth forces that can exert influence in community politics?
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Those hit with its costs! -Upper middle class dislike noise, pollution, ugly building -Low income groups and minorities Higher rents -Directly affected homeowners and voters NIMBY
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Policies associated with growth
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Zoning laws Subdivision control Building permits Utility and environmental regulations
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6.- What is zoning? How is it used to manage (and restrict) community growth?
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Zoning(book): Local government ordinances that divide communities into various residential, commercial, and industrial zones, and that require landowners to use their land in conformity with the regulation for the zone in which it is located. Land use regulation that designates permitted use of land Theory: separate supposedly incompatible land uses As practiced: to preserve 'character' of community, to stop new development from hurting status quo (favors existing residents and businesses)
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8.- What is eminent domain? In what ways does the U.S. Constitution restrict its use?
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Eminent domain: Judicial process by which government can take private property for public use by providing a fair compensation The Takings Clause of the Constitutions 5th amendments was designed to protect private property from unjust taking by government.
