Deck 11: Local Government: Structure and Leadership

Question 1

The governing body for counties is typically called the

A) county senate.
B) county seat.
C) town meeting.
D) board of commissioners.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

_____ is a type of special district funded by nontax revenue and governed by an appointed board.

A) A public authority
B) A charter
C) An incorporation
D) An alderman

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Nearly all city governments operate with one of three structures. Which of the following is NOT one of these structures?

A) a mayor-council form
B) a council-manager form
C) a city commission form
D) a city-county form

Answer 3

D

Question 4

How do cities differ from counties?

A) Cities are single-purpose units of government whereas counties are general-purpose units of government.
B) Cities are general-purpose units of government whereas counties are single-purpose units of government.
C) Cities have greater decision-making authority and discretion than counties.
D) Cities have less decision-making authority and discretion than counties.

Question 5

How is county government structured in the alternative county structure, called the county council-elected executive plan?

A) The county board hires a professional administrator (sometimes called a "county manager") to run the government.
B) An elected governing body, usually called a board of commissioners or supervisors, is the only policymaking apparatus in the county.
C) The implementation of county services is outsourced to a private company.
D) Voters elect an executive officer in addition to the governing board.

Question 6

Many New England towns continue their tradition of direct democracy through a _____ form of government.

A) mayor-council
B) city commission
C) council-manager
D) town meeting

Question 7

_____ is a means of distributing funds (primarily to school districts) to reduce financial disparities among districts.

A) An equalization formula
B) Gerrymandering
C) A regime analysis
D) A charter

Question 8

Special districts can be formed in three different ways. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A) The Federal government can issue a mandate establishing a special district where there is a local need.
B) States can create them through special enabling legislation.
C) General-purpose local governments may adopt a resolution establishing a special district.
D) Citizens may initiate districts by petition, which is often followed by a referendum on the question.

Question 9

_____ were created by states to function as their administrative appendages.

A) Counties
B) Special districts
C) School districts
D) Townships

Question 10

The most frequently heard complaint about special districts is that they

A) lack potential for efficient service provision.
B) lack accountability.
C) are less likely to be responsive to constituents whose demands are not otherwise being met.
D) inhibit intergovernmental cooperation.

Question 11

What three types of governments are considered general purpose local governments?

A) states, regions, and towns/townships
B) school districts, counties, and states
C) counties, municipalities, and towns/townships
D) cities, states, and special districts

Question 12

In the _____ structure, the mayor lacks formal executive power; the city council (of which the mayor may be a member) is the source of executive and legislative power.

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

Question 13

The trend in school districts follows the theory that

A) fewer is better.
B) more school districts are better than less.
C) state-sponsored school districts are better than county-sponsored school districts.
D) county-sponsored school districts are better than state-sponsored school districts.

Question 14

The word municipality is interchangeable with the word

A) city.
B) county.
C) state.
D) district.

Question 15

What is the difference between a general-purpose and single-purpose local government?

A) General-purpose local governments are prohibited from providing specific services, such as libraries, but single-purpose districts can provide any specific service.
B) General-purpose local governments provide a wide range of functions whereas single-purpose governments perform one function.
C) There are no substantive differences; these are just two names for the same type of government.
D) Single-purpose local governments are prohibited from providing specific services, such as libraries, but general-purpose districts can provide any specific service.

Question 16

_____ is the creation of a municipality through the granting of a charter from the state.

A) Incorporation
B) Gerrymandering
C) Equalization
D) Mandating

Question 17

Special districts that overlay existing general-purpose local governments usually address three general categories of deficiencies. What are these three categories?

A) technical conditions, financial constraints, and political explanations
B) technical conditions, legal constraints, and education conditions
C) financial constraints, legal constraints, and political explanations
D) education conditions, political explanations, and technical conditions

Question 18

Two states that do not have functional county governments are:

A) Connecticut and Rhode Island.
B) Virginia and Maryland.
C) Alaska and Louisiana.
D) Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Question 19

Which of the following exemplifies the concept of school choice?

A) public elementary schools
B) state-sponsored afterschool programs
C) increased federal grants for inner-city school systems
D) charter schools

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT an example of a single-purpose local government?

A) school districts
B) towns
C) water districts
D) air and seaport districts

Question 21

In _____ elections, a city voter can vote for as many candidates as there are seats to be filled.

A) district
B) closed-primary
C) at-large
D) open-primary

Question 22

Historically, the county board of commissioners has been the most popular form of county government; more than half of U.S. counties still use it, and its predominance is increasing.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a feature of a strong mayor structure?

A) a mayor who has no limitations on reelection
B) a mayor who has a central role in budget formulation
C) a mayor who serves a two-year term
D) a mayor who has extensive appointment and removal powers

Question 24

Council members elected _____ report more factionalism and less unanimity than do their counterparts elected _____.

A) by districts; at large
B) in large cities; in small towns
C) in small towns; in large cities
D) at large; by districts

Question 25

Local government is the level of government that fights crime, extinguishes fires, paves streets, collects trash, maintains parks, provides water, and educates children.

Question 26

_____ argues that a small group of leaders possesses power and rules society.

A) Pluralist theory
B) Elite theory
C) Regime analysis
D) Public authority theory

Question 27

Which type of nonprofit organization plays a watchdog role-monitoring government and educating the public?

A) policy advocates
B) issue-oriented advocates
C) civic nonprofits
D) governing nonprofits

Question 28

_____ is a label used in some communities for members of a local legislative body, such as a city council.

A) President pro-tempore
B) Public authority
C) District representative
D) Aldermen

Question 29

The weak-mayor-council structure limits the mayor's role to that of executive figurehead, and the council (of which the mayor may be a member) is the source of executive power and legislative power.

Question 30

The twin pressures of population growth and education have placed additional demands on county governments, thus making it more difficult for counties to reorganize and reform their practices.

Question 31

County boards have been criticized because they do not have a single professional administrator to manage county government.

Question 32

In a _____ structure, the mayor shares policy responsibilities with the council and perhaps a manager, and serves a limited amount of time in office.

A) strong-mayor
B) pluralist
C) weak-mayor
D) city commission

Question 33

A charter is a document that sets out a city's structure, authority, and functions.

Question 34

Counties are now more prominent than they were in the old days when they were considered the shadowy backwaters of local governments.

Question 35

The three most common forms of city government structure are: a mayor-council form, a city commission form, and a town meeting form.

Question 36

Counties generally offer a wider array of services to their citizens than cities do.

Question 37

_____ are the professional, neutral experts whose job it is to run the day-to-day affairs of the city.

A) Special-district boards
B) Aldermen
C) City managers
D) Mayors

Question 38

General-purpose local governments perform a wide range of governmental functions and include three types of local governments: counties, municipalities, and towns/townships.

Question 39

The text identifies four types of governmentally active nonprofit organizations. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A) issue-oriented advocates
B) civic nonprofits
C) policy implementers
D) governing nonprofits

Question 40

Local government reform was a _____ Era movement that sought to depose the corrupt and inefficient partisan political machines that controlled many American cities.

A) Civil War
B) Progressive
C) Post-recession
D) Depression

Question 41

Explain why special districts are needed. What are some of the arguments in favor and against them?

Question 42

The number of single purpose districts continues to grow, whereas the number of school districts steadily shrinks. Explain some of the challenges faced by school districts. What remedies are used to address these challenges?

Question 43

Pluralist theory contends that certain individuals and groups possess systemic power and enjoy a strategic advantage in influencing government decisions.

Question 44

Governing nonprofits are the most powerful of the four nonprofit types because they offer an alternative venue for decision making.

Question 45

Describe and evaluate the general functions of each of the five types of local government. Provide an example of each and contrast the functions across the types of government.

Question 46

The tradition of direct democracy by holding town meetings exemplifies democracy in action with citizen participation at about 55 percent.

Question 47

The council-manager form of city government emphasizes the separation of politics (the policy-making activities of the governing body) from administration (the execution of the policies enacted by the governing body).

Question 48

The two most popular forms of city government are council-mayor and council-manager. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each form?

Question 49

Today, city councils are less white, less male, and less passive than they were in the past.

Question 50

Describe the difference between at-large and district (ward) elections. What are the consequences for each in terms of representation?