GOVT 2306 Quiz 9 – Flashcards
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What type of government is called hidden government because people often do not know it exists?
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special districts
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What is the function of the twenty-four councils of government in Texas today?
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They are a regional board meant to coordinate local planning and economic development.
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In large Texas counties, the ______ prepares the county budget.
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auditor
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The mayor-council form of government is most common in
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smaller general-law cities.
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Flood control is managed through special districts because
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flooding is seldom contained in a single city or county.
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School boards can do all of the following except
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draft standardized evaluation exams.
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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 main difference between a special district and a county?
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A special district provides only one specific service within a geographic region.
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San Antonio operates under which form of city government?
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council-manager style
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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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The chief financial officer for a city is called the
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city controller
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A school district is
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a special district
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What was the effect of Dallas's shifting from an at-large to a single-member district system in 1991?
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The change was responsible for the election of a significant number of African American and Hispanic council members.
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What is the main difference between a home-rule city and a general-law city?
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A general-law city is chartered for localities with a population of less than 5,000 persons.
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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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Commissioner forms of government were at their height of popularity
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in 1918, during the Progressive era
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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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In Texas, what is the name of the officer who presides over the county commissioners' court?
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county judge
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The chief law-enforcement officer in county governments is the
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sheriff
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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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How are most special districts in Texas administered?
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They are run by a board elected by residents within the district.
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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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In the case Avery v. Midland County, the U.S. Supreme Court held that
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the principle of "one person, one vote" applied to county commissioners' courts
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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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What is a key problem with counties in Texas?
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Many of them are too small and underpopulated to function well
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A home-rule charter
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specifies the number of members serving on the city's governing body
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The commissioner form of city government was developed as a response to the
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hurricane at Galveston in 1900.
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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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In Texas, who creates special districts?
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Texas voters in the areas that will be covered
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Dallas operates under which form of city government?
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council-manager style
