Deck 27: Local Governments and Metropolitics

Question 1

Some larger suburban areas have begun to resemble city governments.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT one of the traditional functions of counties in the United States?

A)Tax collection
B)Law enforcement
C)Highway construction
D)Administration of welfare programs
E)Land-use planning

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The most common solution to the problems of overlapping and duplicating jurisdictions is for the units of government to contract for __________.

A)service agreements
B)annexation
C)dualistic government
D)power sharing
E)None of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

____________ is a constitutional arrangement in which power is concentrated in a central government.

A)The system of checks and balances
B)A centralized system
C)An intergovernmental system
D)A unitary system
E)A block system

Question 5

Constitutional home rule limits the power of state legislature to determine the structure and power of local units.

Question 6

One defining attribute of what are now called "edge cities" is

A)higher crime rates than the inner cities.
B)higher taxes than either the suburbs or the inner cities.
C)more residential space than office space.
D)more office space than residential space.
E)All of the above.

Question 7

Under the Voting Rights Act of 1982, Congress affirmed that

A)discriminatory intent must be proved by direct evidence.
B)discriminatory intent can be inferred from the presence of certain conditions.
C)there is no practical way to prove discriminatory intent.
D)discriminatory intent can be deemed present only through direct statements.
E)None of the above

Question 8

Reformers in the early 1900s acclaimed the council-manager plan, also known as the

A)strong mayor-council form.
B)city-manager plan.
C)weak mayor-council form.
D)special district.
E)single manager plan.

Question 9

Fifty percent of Americans now live in

A)suburban communities.
B)metropolitan areas.
C)townships.
D)rural areas.
E)urban areas.

Question 10

When citizens gather to deal with issues and policies of a city they are participating in a

A)indirect democracy.
B)direct democracy.
C)socialism.
D)representative democracy.
E)Parliamentary democracy.

Question 11

There are a total of how many county governments throughout the United States?

A)3,042
B)3,049
C)3,043
D)3,033
E)3,039

Question 12

Displacing the original lower-income inhabitants of a city with new wealthier residents is defined as

A)progress.
B)civil development.
C)salting.
D)gentrification.
E)None of the above

Question 13

In what year was the first African American elected as a mayor of a large city?

A)1975
B)1967
C)1963
D)1964
E)1972

Question 14

___________ are a way to generate revenue from those who work in cities but don't live in them.

A)Poll taxes
B)Commuter taxes
C)Urban renewal plans
D)Suburban renewal plans
E)Gentrification taxes

Question 15

Approximately 80% of U.S.citizens now live in suburban communities.

Question 16

Pennsylvania took over one of its school districts in 2002 because of budgeting and achievement problems.

Question 17

The largest jurisdiction within a state is a county.

Question 18

Under the_______________, the federal government forbade cities with a history of discrimination to adopt measures that would dilute the voting strength of minorities.

A)Voting Rights Act of 1982
B)Civil Rights Act of 1978
C)Voting Rights Act of 1965
D)Civil Rights Act of 1964
E)None of the above

Question 19

Our basic pattern of local government is imported from

A)France.
B)Germany.
C)England.
D)Canada.
E)Rome.

Question 20

Special districts are often created to

A)solve problems that overlap government boundaries.
B)solve the problems of local city government.
C)integrate school districts.
D)spread the tax burden over a wider area.
E)All of the above

Question 21

Initially, state legislatures had almost unlimited authority over their local governments and ran them pretty much at will.Which of the following actions were NOT carried out by state legislatures up to the end of the nineteenth century?

A)Repealed city charters
B)Established counties
C)Determined city and county structure
D)Set debt limits
E)All of the above

Question 22

A charter is to a city what the Constitution is to the national government.

Question 23

In 2002, what state took control of one of its city's 200,000-plus school systems after years of poor achievement and budget problems?

A)Alabama
B)Arkansas
C)Pennsylvania
D)Washington
E)Massachusetts

Question 24

There are more than 19,000 ________ in the United States.

A)school districts
B)special districts
C)townships
D)local governments
E)municipals

Question 25

Most state constitutions create a _________ in which power is vested in the state government, and local units exist only as agents of the state and exercise only those powers expressly given to them by their respective state governments.

A)unitary system
B)dualist system
C)disbursement of power
D)delegation of authority
E)direct democracy

Question 26

Mayors can often use a road and byway tolls to help fund the city when a majority of the people are commuters that use the city but do not live there.

Question 27

Special districts are often created to spread tax burdens over a wider area.

Question 28

There are more than 37,000 ________ in the United States.

A)school districts
B)special districts
C)townships
D)local governments
E)municipals

Question 29

Approximately 80% of Americans live in metropolitan areas.

Question 30

The number of towns in the United States has

A)grown sharply.
B)declined greatly.
C)declined almost imperceptibly.
D)not changed.
E)grown only slightly.

Question 31

____________ participate in local government to a much greater extent than __________ in state politics.

A)Federal officers / state officers
B)State officers / federal officers
C)Local bureaucrats / state officers
D)Federal bureaucrats / state officers
E)State bureaucrats / federal officers

Question 32

By the end of the nineteenth century, _______ granted constitutional independence to some local units, primarily larger cities, giving them constitutional authority over their form of government and a wide range of other matters.With this protection, state legislatures could no longer determine the structure and powers of local units.

A)the separation clause
B)constitutional home rule
C)the Fifteenth Amendment
D)the Sixteenth Amendment
E)tacit consent

Question 33

In Louisiana, counties are called

A)batons.
B)collectives.
C)arrondissements.
D)parishes.
E)districts.

Question 34

There are fewer than 4,000 ________ in the United States.

A)school districts
B)special districts
C)counties
D)local governments
E)municipals

Question 35

The oldest type of charter is the manager charter.

Question 36

With the passage of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation in 2002, direct state involvement in local ____________ became widespread.

A)politics
B)education
C)legislative processes
D)police protection
E)elections

Question 37

The three types of counties are rural, urban, and

A)developing.
B)transitional.
C)secular.
D)suburban.
E)stationary.

Question 38

What constitutional protection granted independence to some local units, giving them constitutional authority over their form of government and a wide range of other matters?

A)Decentralization
B)Intergovernmental limitations
C)Constitutional home rule
D)Fourteenth Amendment
E)State jurisdictional limitations clause

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT a borough of New York City?

A)Kings
B)Queens
C)Richmond
D)Brooklyn
E)Manhattan

Question 40

Companies doing business with a city must provide their workers enough income for a decent standard of living, according to the definition for

A)worker's compensation laws.
B)usury laws.
C)"living wage" laws.
D)"minimum wage" laws.
E)poverty line laws.

Question 41

Suburbs have also grown because industries have moved from the central cities in search of

A)cheaper land.
B)lower taxes.
C)less restrictive building codes.
D)relaxed health codes.
E)All of the above

Question 42

County governments are least active in the _______ states, where the county is often little more than a judicial and law enforcement district.

A)southern
B)New England
C)western
D)midwestern
E)Great Lakes

Question 43

The percentage of Americans who now live in suburban communities is approximately

A)25%.
B)40%.
C)50%.
D)75%.
E)60%.

Question 44

Some larger suburban town governments have began to resemble

A)New England townships.
B)city governments.
C)state governments.
D)direct democracy.
E)indirect democracy.

Question 45

Typical county authorities involve all of the following EXCEPT (a)

A)sheriff.
B)county clerk.
C)school board.
D)coroner.
E)All of the above

Question 46

The town meeting forum is most common in the

A)Midwestern states.
B)Southeastern states.
C)New England states.
D)Northern states.
E)Southern states.

Question 47

Smaller municipalities located near larger central cities have been swallowed up by the growth of suburbs and absorbed by the larger _______ area composed of the central city and all its suburban areas.

A)megaplex
B)metropolitan
C)metroplex
D)urbanex
E)cosmopolitan

Question 48

In terms of population, the largest county in the United States is

A)Miami-Dade County, Florida.
B)Cook County, Illinois.
C)Los Angeles County, California.
D)Harris County, Texas.
E)Maricopa County, Arizona.

Question 49

Since the founding of the United States, governments have had the power to take private land for public purposes, even without the consent of the landowner.This power, called _________, comes from English common law.

A)right of way
B)eminent domain
C)easement
D)enclosure
E)None of the above

Question 50

During the last half of the 20ᵗʰ century, the fastest growing parts of the United States were

A)large cities.
B)rural areas.
C)central cities.
D)suburban areas.
E)townships.

Question 51

Towns are also called

A)cities.
B)townships.
C)districts.
D)principalities.
E)boroughs.

Question 52

The major tasks of suburban government are often bound together with those of the

A)megaplex.
B)metropolis.
C)metroplex.
D)urbanex.
E)cosmopolis.

Question 53

__________ are countywide contests, not elections in which each board member is chosen from a different district; usually, the several top vote-getters all win seats in at-large elections.

A)Runoff elections
B)At-large elections
C)Primary elections
D)Caucuses
E)None of the above

Question 54

_____________ have cleaner air, lower crime rates, and lower taxes.

A)Metropolitan areas
B)Townships
C)Suburban areas
D)Urban areas
E)Central cities

Question 55

The largest jurisdiction within a state is usually a

A)county.
B)special district.
C)township.
D)city.
E)municipal.

Question 56

Baltimore is considered

A)a large city.
B)both a city and a county.
C)a district.
D)a metropolitan area.
E)a municipal.

Question 57

The best example of American direct democracy can be found in

A)a county with an elected executive form of government.
B)at-large elections.
C)the New England town meeting.
D)the commission form of county government.
E)the counties of Louisiana.

Question 58

The size of counties was originally based on

A)surveyed maps that indicated geographical contiguity.
B)size of the population.
C)travel time for reaching the county seat.
D)state-mandated requirements for size and population ratio.
E)All of the above

Question 59

Which of the following actions takes place during an annual New England town meeting?

A)Appropriating money
B)Levying taxes
C)Passing new laws
D)Making rules
E)All of the above

Question 60

Resistance to mandatory busing to achieve integrated schools in the 1960s and 1970s contributed to so-called

A)white flight.
B)suburbanization.
C)racial flight.
D)racial migration.
E)de-urbanization.

Question 61

In cities with the __________ of government, mayors are often chosen from members of the elected city council rather than elected directly by the people.

A)weak mayor-council form
B)mayor-council charter
C)strong mayor-council form
D)council-manager plan
E)None of the above

Question 62

Today more than 3,100 cities, located in virtually every state, operate under a __________.In fact it has become the most popular form of local government in medium-sized cities of more than 10,000 citizens.

A)weak mayor-council form charter
B)mayor-council charter
C)strong mayor-council form charter
D)council-manager plan
E)None of the above

Question 63

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 forbids states and cities with a history of __________ from adopting the at-large system for electing council members.

A)voter fraud
B)discrimination
C)poll taxes
D)slavery
E)secession

Question 64

The oldest type of charter is the

A)weak mayor-council form charter.
B)mayor-council charter.
C)strong mayor-council form charter.
D)council-manager plan.
E)None of the above

Question 65

Aristotle observed that people came together in the cities for security, but they stayed there for

A)comfort.
B)companionship.
C)amenities.
D)a good life.
E)experience.

Question 66

Most cities have altered their charters to give their mayors power

A)to prepare budgets.
B)to appoint and remove heads of departments.
C)to investigate departmental activities.
D)to send legislative messages to the city councils.
E)All of the above

Question 67

The United States is now a nation of about _________ municipalities, and although some small cities or incorporated villages have just a few hundred people, the largest have millions.

A)8,000
B)19,000
C)27,000
D)50,000
E)100,000

Question 68

The mayor-council charter includes which of the following?

A)a single chamber.
B)over 100 members.
C)a council of 2 to 50 members.
D)A and B
E)A and C

Question 69

The three U.S.supercities are Chicago, New York, and

A)Cleveland.
B)Philadelphia.
C)Boston.
D)Los Angeles.
E)San Francisco.

Question 70

Under the __________ of government, the mayor is elected directly by the people and given fairly broad appointment powers.

A)weak mayor-council form
B)mayor-council charter
C)strong mayor-council form
D)council-manager plan
E)None of the above

Question 71

Which of the following is a method of selecting city council members?

A)Primary elections
B)At-large elections
C)State elections
D)Appointment by the governor
E)None of the above

Question 72

According to the council-manager plan

A)the hiring of professional administrators is prohibited.
B)the city council hires a professional administrator to manage city affairs.
C)the mayor has ultimate power in making decisions.
D)None of the above
E)All of the above

Question 73

The most common type of city charter is the

A)weak mayor-council form charter.
B)mayor-council charter.
C)strong mayor-council form charter.
D)council-manager plan.
E)None of the above

Question 74

Those who prefer to live in cities are attracted by

A)employment opportunities.
B)diversity of people.
C)cultural centers.
D)professional sports teams.
E)All of the above

Question 75

Under the council-manager plan, the council is usually elected in ________ primaries and elections, either on a citywide basis or by election districts.

A)nonpartisan
B)partisan
C)biannual
D)at-large
E)ward-based

Question 76

The typical responsibility of a mayor does NOT include

A)enlarging the tax base.
B)working with the private sector to promote economic growth.
C)securing additional jobs.
D)complete oversight of appropriations and spending.
E)showcasing his or her city in an attractive light to certain kinds of businesses.

Question 77

The first ___________ elected to be mayors in big cities were Carl Stokes of Cleveland, Ohio, and Richard Hatcher of Gary, Indiana, both elected in 1967.

A)Hispanics
B)Asians
C)African Americans
D)naturalized citizens
E)immigrants

Question 78

Which of the following presidential candidates had NOT previously served as a mayor before running in a presidential election?

A)Andrew Johnson
B)Calvin Coolidge
C)Richard Nixon
D)Grover Cleveland
E)Hubert Humphrey

Question 79

In the weak mayor-council form of government, mayors are often chosen

A)directly by the population.
B)by the Chamber of Commerce.
C)by members of the city council.
D)None of the above
E)All of the above

Question 80

Reformers in the early 1900s acclaimed the ________, in which the city council hires a professional administrator to manage city affairs.

A)weak mayor-council form charter
B)mayor-council charter
C)strong mayor-council form charter
D)council-manager plan
E)None of the above