Deck 6: Local Governments in Texas

Question 1

The most common form of local government in the United States is the

A) city.
B) county.
C) school district.
D) special district.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In which type of city government does the mayor control the budget?

A) council-manager
B) weak mayor
C) strong mayor
D) commission

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The weak mayor's formal powers most resemble those of which other government official in Texas?

A) the mayor in the council-manager form of city government
B) the governor
C) the speaker of the Texas House
D) the lieutenant governor

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Under the council-manager form of government,how is the city manager selected?

A) partisan election
B) mayoral appointment
C) city council appointment
D) nonpartisan election

Question 5

In a strong-mayor city,the mayor

A) hires the city manager.
B) has term limits.
C) appoints major department heads.
D) has very limited control over the budget.

Question 6

For incorporation to proceed in Texas,first a minimum population of ________ citizens must be living within a two-square-mile area.

A) 201
B) 501
C) 1,001
D) 2,501

Question 7

All of the following are at-large election systems EXCEPT

A) at-large by place.
B) at-large by place with residence wards required.
C) at-large no place.
D) at-large multiple places.

Question 8

The least common form of local government in the United States is the

A) city.
B) county.
C) school district.
D) special district.

Question 9

________ is the political principle that assigns different functions to different levels of government.

A) Republicanism
B) Constitutionalism
C) Separation of powers
D) Federalism

Question 10

If you selected any city in Texas at random,what governmental form would you most likely find?

A) commission
B) weak mayor-council
C) strong mayor-council
D) council-manager

Question 11

Which of the following is one of the roles of the mayor in a council-manager form of government?

A) administrative
B) presiding officer of the council
C) head of government for the city
D) the veto

Question 12

In which type of city government do voters elect people directly to oversee city departments?

A) council-manager
B) weak mayor
C) strong mayor
D) commission

Question 13

Bexar County,Texas,is an example of which category of local government?

A) limited-purpose
B) special-purpose
C) general-purpose
D) multi-jurisdictional

Question 14

What change was noted when cities in Texas were forced to change to single-member districts for at least some city council seats?

A) higher voter turnout
B) substantial increase in minority city council members
C) lower voter turnout
D) dramatic change in how city services were distributed

Question 15

Which of the following is a weakness of the council-manager form of city government?

A) full-time council members serving for too long
B) city manager being answerable to the voting public
C) absence of political coalitions
D) ability of the city manager to manipulate information and control council decisions

Question 16

San Antonio wants to expand and add new territory to the city and broaden its tax base by doing what with regard to an upscale subdivision that borders the city?

A) declaring eminent domain over it
B) annexing it
C) invoking extraterritorial jurisdiction upon it
D) incorporating it

Question 17

Tulsa,Oklahoma,which is one of the last large cities to use the commission form of city government,gave what powers to the mayor in an attempt to correct some of the form's shortcomings?

A) authority to call special sessions
B) budget authority
C) removal authority
D) appointment authority

Question 18

In which type of city government does the city council select a person to be a chief administrator?

A) council-manager
B) weak mayor
C) strong mayor
D) commission

Question 19

If you selected any city in Texas at random,what governmental form would you LEAST likely find?

A) commission
B) weak mayor-council
C) strong mayor-council
D) council-manager

Question 20

The commission form of city government served as a transition from the

A) weak mayor form to the council-manager form.
B) strong mayor form to the council-manager form.
C) weak mayor form to the strong mayor form.
D) council-manager form to the weak mayor form.

Question 21

The authority to establish and maintain a free public school system is contained in which article of the Texas Constitution?

A) Article 3
B) Article 5
C) Article 7
D) Article 9

Question 22

List and describe the three basic forms city governments have taken in Texas.

Question 23

The primary source of revenue for counties is

A) sales tax.
B) property tax.
C) income tax.
D) state block grants.

Question 24

In smaller counties,state law allows the sheriff to act as

A) the justice of the peace.
B) the tax assessor/collector.
C) constable and court officer.
D) the medical examiner.

Question 25

San Antonio ran slates of candidates using a "nonpartisan organization" known as the

A) Good Government League.
B) Citizens Charter Association.
C) Business and Professional Association.
D) Chamber of Commerce.

Question 26

What voting system is preferred by voting rights activists as a means of increasing minority representation?

A) at-large voting
B) single-member districts
C) preferential voting
D) cumulative voting

Question 27

What is the largest county in Texas in terms of population?

A) Dallas
B) Bexar
C) Harris
D) Tarrant

Question 28

What authority do state and city governments have that in counties is quite limited?

A) disbursement of funds
B) infrastructure maintenance
C) ordinance creation
D) law enforcement

Question 29

Who is responsible for overseeing the collecting and disbursing county funds?

A) county tax assessor
B) county clerk
C) county treasurer
D) county auditor

Question 30

County government was designed to meet the needs of and provide services to a(n)________ population.

A) urban
B) agrarian
C) rural
D) varied

Question 31

What is the composition of the county commissioner's court?

A) five county commissioners, with one member appointed county judge
B) a three-judge panel and four county commissioners
C) a district clerk and four county commissioners
D) a county judge and four county commissioners

Question 32

Who is responsible for maintaining property records and issuing marriage licenses?

A) county tax assessor
B) county clerk
C) county treasurer
D) county auditor

Question 33

Who is responsible for collecting revenue for the state and county?

A) county tax assessor
B) county clerk
C) county treasurer
D) county auditor

Question 34

One suggestion for reform of county government that has been frequently made over the past 70 years involves

A) provincial incorporation.
B) general law.
C) the commission system.
D) home rule.

Question 35

Who is responsible for receiving,maintaining,and disbursing county funds?

A) county tax assessor
B) county clerk
C) county treasurer
D) county auditor

Question 36

In Texas,education is primarily the responsibility of

A) the federal government.
B) the state government.
C) county governments.
D) school districts.

Question 37

Define extraterritorial jurisdiction and discuss how cities in Texas grow larger and gain territory.

Question 38

Voter turnout in City of Austin municipal elections is usually about

A) 3 percent.
B) 10 percent.
C) 38 percent.
D) 62 percent.

Question 39

What is the oldest type of local government,adapted from a British unit of government,that is used in the United States?

A) county
B) province
C) shire
D) city

Question 40

Explain what is meant when local governments are called "creatures of the states."

Question 41

How are independent school districts governed and operated?

Question 42

What are the main functions of the city manager in the council-manager form of city government?

Question 43

Why is voter turnout usually so low in local elections?

Question 44

Compare and contrast the roles and powers of the mayor in weak-mayor and strong-mayor forms of city government.Which do you think is best,and why?

Question 45

Compare,contrast,and analyze these four types of election systems: at-large,single-member district,cumulative,and preferential voting.

Question 46

What are the key aspects of the structure of county government?

Question 47

Explain why city residents pay twice for infrastructure and protective services,whereas county residents only pay once.

Question 48

Argue for or against the reform of county government with an emphasis on county home rule.