lop.3311.13 – Flashcards
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What are the functions of the county government in Texas?
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Way of governing rural areas. They often function primarily as an administrative arm of the state government. Maintain roads and bridges Law enforcement Record keeping Dispute resolutions through the court system Social service function Tax assessment and collection
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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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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 job of serving legal papers at the precinct level of a county goes to the ____________.
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constable
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The chief law enforcement officer in county governments is the ___.
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sheriff.
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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 fewer than 5,000 persons.
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San Antonio operates under which form of city government?
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Council-manager form of government: public policies are developed by the city council and executive and administrative functions are assigned to a professional city manager
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What are the differences between a mayor council and the council-manager forms of local government?
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In mayor-council form of government, the mayor is the chief executive and the city council is the legislative body. In council management form of government, public policies are developed by the city council and executive and administrative functions are assigned to a professional city manager.
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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 council members.
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Which of major Texas cities currently has a city government with a strong mayor council form of government?
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Houston
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The chief financial officer for a city is called the ____.
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city comptroller
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Identify the most common form of local government in Texas?
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Special Districts
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Identify the school board duties. What can they do? School boards can do all of the following EXCEPT
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Set overall policy for the school district, adopt the budget for the district, set the tax rate for the district, select textbooks for classroom use, hire principals, faculty, and support staff, set the school calendar determine salaries and benefits for employee. do not draft standardized evaluation exams.
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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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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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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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What are the four different methods of political incorporation/inclusion?
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i. demand/protest - nonviolent or violent ii. use of legal challenges iii. use of coalitions - contributers and voters and interested parties iv. a gradual evolution -elite politics- certain individuals are cultivated by political elties to run for office inclusion: The movement from disenfranchisement to political power;
