Deck 3: Local Governments

Question 1

About what percent of cities in Texas are general-law cities?

A) Just over 10 percent
B) Just under 50 percent
C) Just over 70 percent
D) Just over 90 percent

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Approximately how many incorporated municipalities are there in Texas?

A) 254
B) 350
C) 900
D) 1,200

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The process for removing an elected official during his/her term through a popular vote, is referred to as

A) impeachment.
B) recall.
C) initiative.
D) referendum.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following views of local government power dictates that local government should only have those powers expressly granted by the state?

A) Dillon's Rule
B) Ogden's Rule
C) Cooley's Rule
D) Perry's Rule

Question 5

The form of government that influences the daily lives of citizens the most is

A) Texas government.
B) county government.
C) municipal government.
D) special districts.

Question 6

A city charter does all of the following, except

A) establish powers of municipal officers.
B) set terms of office for council members.
C) provide procedures for passing ordinances.
D) establish state law.

Question 7

Texas's local governments are like those of other states in that they

A) are on the bottom rung of the governmental ladder.
B) make laws that are binding on the state legislature.
C) exist independent of state government authority.
D) have no governmental authority.

Question 8

In Texas, a city with a population over 5,000 may be incorporated as a

A) village.
B) home-rule city.
C) county.
D) borough.

Question 9

Texas has approximately how many general-law cities?

A) 400
B) 600
C) 900
D) 1,200

Question 10

A general law municipality becomes eligible for home-rule status when its population exceeds

A)201.
B) 5,000.
C) 25,000.
D) 50,000.

Question 11

The minimum population requirement in Texas for becoming a city is

A) 100.
B) 201.
C) 5,000.
D) 10,001.

Question 12

A typical percentage of voter turnout in a Texas municipal election is

A) 75 percent.
B) 50 percent.
C) never less than 25 percent.
D) 10 percent or less.

Question 13

A city law is referred to as a city

A) statute.
B) ordinance.
C) rule.
D) order.

Question 14

Approximately _______ percent of Texans reside in cities.

A) 3
B) 52
C) 80
D) 97

Question 15

An ordinance may be established by all but

A) the state legislature.
B) a city council.
C) a city commission.
D) a referendum.

Question 16

The main advantage that a home-rule city has over a general-law city is that a home rule city

A) has greater flexibility in its organization and operation.
B) has fewer people to worry about than a general-law city.
C) can use state law to operate.
D) can use its power to overrule state law.

Question 17

The principal advantage for home-rule cities in Texas is

A) lower taxes.
B) greater flexibility in determining forms of government.
C) greater support from the state.
D) fewer people to regulate.

Question 18

In Texas, most general-law cities are

A) very large in population.
B) very small in population.
C) equal in population to home-rule cities.
D) governed by strong mayor-council forms of government.

Question 19

In Texas, a community with a population of less than 5,000 may become a(n)

A) home-rule city.
B) sovereign entity.
C) township.
D) general-law city.

Question 20

In Texas, local government comes in different forms, which includes

A) municipal governments, townships, and special districts.
B) county governments, boroughs, and special districts.
C) county government, villages, and cities.
D) special districts, counties, and cities.

Question 21

Historically, at-large elections in Texas cities have resulted in

A) a greater diversity of representation.
B) more voters to participate.
C) less frequent elections.
D) less diversity of representation.

Question 22

The _______________ form of government is more likely to be responsive to the full range of the community.

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

Question 23

The two largest tax sources for Texas municipalities are

A) sales tax and property tax.
B) income tax and excise tax.
C) tariffs and sales tax.
D) property tax and income tax.

Question 24

Municipal governments in Texas home-rule cities are likely to operate

A) parks, police, and education services.
B) roads, welfare, and education services.
C) police, trash collection, and water services.
D) public assistance, education, and police services.

Question 25

A proposed law arising from a citizen petition is called a(n)

A) initiative.
B) referendum.
C) recall.
D) impeachment.

Question 26

Functions performed by counties in Texas include

A) conducting elections, enforcing criminal law, and administering job-training programs.
B) operating courts, conducting elections, and providing higher education.
C) conducting elections, registration of voters, and enforcing criminal law.
D) providing higher education, conducting elections, and collecting all state taxes.

Question 27

In theory, the council-manager form of government has

A) a strong mayor with a weak city manager.
B) a weak city manager and a strong council.
C) a weak city council and a strong city manager.
D) a weak mayor.

Question 28

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a council-manager form of government?

A) A mayor with power to veto council actions
B) A city manager appointed by the city council
C) An elected mayor and city council
D) A city manager responsible for managing the city's departments

Question 29

Under the Texas Constitution, counties

A) pass laws to be implemented by cities.
B) possess home-rule and ordinance-making authority.
C) are administrative arms of the state.
D) are primarily responsible for conducting common school education.

Question 30

What is the role of political parties in Texas municipal elections?

A) Support of a political party is the single determining factor.
B) Political parties have no formal involvement in these nonpartisan elections.
C) Political parties nominate candidates to run for office.
D) The amount of involvement varies from city to city.

Question 31

In Houston, a strong mayor-council city, _____________appoints the chief of police and possesses veto power over ordinary majorities in the city council.

A) the city council
B) the mayor
C) the city manager
D) the appointed city administrator

Question 32

In Texas, cities operating with the strong-mayor council form of government have which of the following characteristics?

A) Council members elected by single member districts
B) A mayor elected at-large within the city
C) A mayor with power to veto council actions
D) All of the above are true.

Question 33

Cities must redistrict every __________ years.

A) 2
B) 5
C) 10
D) 20

Question 34

In Texas, all of following are unique to home-rule cities, except

A) popular elections.
B) recall.
C) initiative.
D) referendum.

Question 35

None of the ten largest cities in Texas have a

A) strong mayor form of government.
B) council-manager form of government.
C) weak mayor-council form of government.
D) commission form of government.

Question 36

If city voters want to repeal an existing city ordinance, they may do so through a(n)

A) initiative.
B) recall.
C) vote of no confidence.
D) referendum.

Question 37

The form of municipal government in which the mayor shares authority with a city council and elected department heads is

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

Question 38

Which of the following statements is false regarding local government in Texas?

A) They include counties.
B) School districts are units of local government.
C) All operate under the same governmental structure.
D) All are created through the Texas Constitution and state laws.

Question 39

The number of counties in Texas is

A) 254.
B) 906.
C) 1,213.
D) 4,128.

Question 40

In Texas home-rule cities, which form of municipal structure prevails?

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

Question 41

A unit of local government performing a single function for a particular group of people in a designated geographic area is a

A) council of government.
B) municipal government.
C) county government.
D) special-district government.

Question 42

When a piece of real property (land and its improvements) is transferred, who records the deed of transfer?

A) Commissioner of the General Land Office
B) County auditor
C) County clerk
D) County tax assessor-collector

Question 43

Who issues certificates of title showing proof of ownership for motor vehicles?

A) County judge
B) County clerk
C) County tax assessor-collector
D) Texas Department of Transportation

Question 44

In the fifty counties with no county attorney, the function is performed by

A) a resident district attorney.
B) a deputy assigned by the attorney general.
C) the county sheriff.
D) the county auditor.

Question 45

Which of the following would not be an example of a special district?

A) Water control district
B) Congressional district
C) Fire protection district
D) Municipal utility district

Question 46

Elected county officials include

A) sheriff, judge, and auditor.
B) airport manager, hospital manager, and librarian.
C) sheriff, commissioners, and clerk.
D) clerk, airport manager, and auditor.

Question 47

Which county official is responsible for record-keeping and conducting elections?

A) County clerk
B) County judge
C) County tax-assessor collector
D) County auditor

Question 48

School districts in Texas must operate under the guidelines of

A) the federal government.
B) the Texas Education Agency.
C) relevant state law.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 49

Which Supreme Court case applied the "one-person, one-vote" principle to county precincts?

A) Baker v. Carr (1962)
B) Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)
C) Reynolds v. Simms (1964)
D) Avery v. Midland County (1968)

Question 50

In most rural Texas counties, each commissioner is individually responsible for

A) superintending common schools in his or her precinct.
B) presiding at general and special elections in his or her precinct.
C) building and maintaining county roads and bridges in his or her precinct.
D) enforcing the criminal law in his or her precinct.

Question 51

In most counties, who receives and pays out county funds?

A) County sheriff
B) County judge
C) County tax assessor-collector
D) County treasurer

Question 52

As a result of the Court's 1968 ruling in Avery v. Midland County, Texas counties must

A) elect all officials by single-member districts.
B) ensure there is an equal population in each precinct.
C) do away with the partisan nature of county elections.
D) redistrict every five years.

Question 53

Which county official has both administrative and judicial responsibilities?

A) County clerk
B) County court of law judge
C) County judge
D) County sheriff

Question 54

Who has responsibility for keeping the peace in each county?

A) County sheriff
B) County judge
C) Justice of the peace
D) County court of law judge

Question 55

The segment of Texas higher education that receives support from property taxes is the

A) junior and community colleges.
B) University of Texas system.
C) State Technical Institute system.
D) Texas A&M system.

Question 56

The county official responsible for collecting vehicle registration fees and registering voters is the

A) tax appraiser.
B) county clerk.
C) tax-assessor collector.
D) auditor.

Question 57

Which of the following statements regarding Texas counties is true?

A) The governmental structure varies by county.
B) Each county must have about an equal population.
C) Counties are similar in geographic size.
D) Commissioners of counties are elected by voters residing in a commissioner precinct.

Question 58

Of the following county officials, who is appointed?

A) County sheriff
B) County judge
C) County auditor
D) County tax assessor-collector

Question 59

The public education function in the state of Texas is provided directly by

A) the federal government.
B) local school districts.
C) city government.
D) county government.

Question 60

Adopting the county's budget and setting the property tax rate is the duty of the county

A) sheriff.
B) tax assessor-collector.
C) treasurer.
D) commissioners court.

Question 61

The most widely used approach thus far in Texas to solving metropolitan area problems has been

A) constitutional amendment.
B) the creation of metro governments.
C) weakening municipal governments and strengthening the counties.
D) the creation of councils of governments.

Question 62

Approximately how many noneducational special districts does Texas have?

A) 1,000
B) 1,200
C) 1,600
D) 2,300

Question 63

Describe the structure and function of county government in Texas. Should there be changes in the present constitutional provisions regarding county structure and power? If so, what is needed?

Question 64

Provide a basic understanding of the role of property taxes in local government financing, including a description of the role played by the county tax appraisal districts. What problems can you see arising from the use of property taxes? If the property tax were to be abandoned, what alternative tax source might replace it?

Question 65

There are four forms of municipal government that have historically been used in the United States. Describe each, including their characteristics and principal strengths and weaknesses. If you live in an incorporated municipality, what form of municipal government does it have?

Question 66

If local government is so important, why is it so difficult to get people as involved as they need to be? Are local issues easier or harder than national issues to understand? What can be done to increase local awareness?

Question 67

About what percentage of Texans live in metropolitan areas?

A) 88
B) 26
C) 32
D) 38

Question 68

Explain why county governments were formed in Texas. Include an understanding of the population differences, geographic size differences, and governmental structure of counties across Texas.

Question 69

Describe how Texas might use metro governments. Explain why the use of metro governments in Texas has not become a popular option. Include an understanding of the role of councils of government.

Question 70

Explain the revenue sources for local government in Texas. Explain how the sources of revenue for each type of local government help or hinders the government's operations.

Question 71

The term metro government refers to

A) consolidating several existing local governments under one umbrella authority.
B) intergovernmental agreements among city and county governments in metropolitan areas.
C) annexation of land by city governments in urban areas.
D) counties taking over city government functions, but leaving the city to collect the taxes.

Question 72

Describe the authority under which school districts must operate. Include an understanding of state authority, including the role of the State Board of Education, and the role of federal regulations in the administration of education at the local level.

Question 73

The unincorporated area outside a city's boundaries into which it may annex is referred to as

A) extraterritorial jurisdiction.
B) metropolitan area.
C) municipality.
D) merged territory.

Question 74

In Texas, voluntary associations of local governments that perform regional planning activities, among other things, are called

A) metro governments.
B) special districts.
C) councils of government.
D) interest groups.

Question 75

Explain why special districts are created in Texas. Detail the two main categories of special districts (school and noneducation special districts). Provide an understanding of the general functions and services provided by school districts.

Question 76

Explain why municipal (city) governments are formed in Texas. Include a description of the minimum number of people required to form a city, the types of city government charters available, and the basic functions cities perform.