Deck 11: Local Government

Question 1

Except in the few counties using a unit system,the construction and maintenance of county roads and bridges is the responsibility of _____.

A)the county judge
B)individual county commissioners
C)the assessor-collector of taxes
D)the county engineer
E)the county clerk

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which official presides over the county commissioners court?

A)county judge
B)county clerk
C)county attorney
D)county tax assessor-collector
E)sheriff

Answer 2

A

Question 3

​What is the result of county governments' lack of ordinance power?

A)​the inability to regulate land use
B)​the difficulty of guarding against developers who pollute
C)thedifficulty of regulating developers' use of roads
D)the difficulties of guarding against developers who pollute and of regulating developers' use of roads
E)the inability to regulate land use and the difficulties of guarding against developers who pollute and of regulating developers' use of roads

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Under a "spoils system" of selection,public employees are chosen based on _____.

A)their scores on a merit exam
B)their education level
C)their civil service classification level
D)affirmative action quota systems
E)who they supported and gave money to in the last election

Question 5

Which of these is not a criticism of decentralized purchasing and control of roads by individual county commissioners?

A)​The system is democratic because it puts power in the hands of elected, rather than appointed, officials.
B)​Counties lose money by not purchasing in quantity.
C)​Vendors and construction companies do favors for county officials in order to get contracts.
D)​There is duplication of equipment.
E)​There is poor planning and coordination.

Question 6

​Which statement is a criticism of county governments' use of the spoils system for hiring?

A)​It can lead to unqualified people holding county jobs.
B)​It can contribute to a high turnover rate, as new elected officials bring in their own people.
C)​The employees may represent only a narrow group of people in society.
D)​The employees may represent only one political party, since their bosses are elected in partisan elections.
E)​All of these are criticisms.

Question 7

County commissioners in Texas are _____.

A)appointed by the county judge
B)elected by precinct in partisan elections
C)chosen in an at-large election
D)elected by precinct in nonpartisan elections
E)chosen by the county elections administrator

Question 8

​Since 1950,the state of Texas has become _____.

A)​increasingly rural
B)​one of the most urban states in the country
C)​dominated by rural, agricultural interests
D)​more supportive of county governments setting their own structure
E)​none of these

Question 9

Why is the prospect for reform in county government poor?

A)​division between county commissioners in heavily populated counties and those in less populated counties
B)lack of willingness of county commissioners to embrace reforms​
C)​lack of public interest and low voter turnout
D)lack of willingness of county commissioners to embrace reforms, and lack of public interest and low voter turnout
E)​division between county commissioners in heavily populated counties and those in less populated counties, lack of willingness of county commissioners to embrace reforms, and lack of public interest and low voter turnout

Question 10

Every county in Texas,regardless of its size,is divided into _____.

A)four precincts
B)five precincts
C)eight precincts
D)five wards
E)six districts

Question 11

​Which of these statements is not true of the relationship between the state government in Texas and county governments?

A)​The county is a creation of state government.
B)​County officials are elected by the citizens of the county.
C)​Counties carry out many state functions.
D)​County officials are not really accountable to the state government in Texas.
E)​County officials see themselves as state, rather than local, officials.

Question 12

Although the county's governing body is called the commissioners court,​_____.

A)​its function is legislative (policymaking)
B)​only in small, rural areas do some county judges function as the judicial branch
C)​its function is executive (policy administration)
D)​it has responsibilities for conducting elections and running county jails
E)​all of these

Question 13

​According to your text,regardless of the size of a county,the most important power of the county commissioners court is that of _____.

A)​conducting elections
B)​controlling the budget
C)​carrying out state programs
D)​hiring county employees
E)​running county jails

Question 14

Cities thatare allowed to write their own constitutions in the form of a city charter are called _____.

A)home-rule cities
B)general-law cities
C)constitutional-law cities
D)common-law cities
E)special districts

Question 15

​Which of these isnot a recommendation for improving county government?

A)​government consolidation / city-county cooperation
B)​appointed county commissioners
C)​centralized purchasing
D)​unit system of road construction/maintenance
E)​professional management of personnel and purchasing services

Question 16

Counties are responsible for _____.

A)enforcing state law
B)keeping many state records such as titles and deeds
C)collecting many state taxes
D)conducting state elections
E)all of these

Question 17

Which county official is responsible for recording all legal documents?

A)county judge
B)county treasurer
C)county clerk
D)county tax assessor-collector
E)sheriff

Question 18

Which statement does notsupportthe idea that county government is not democratic?

A)​Voter turnout in county elections is low.
B)​The media tends to ignore county government and focus on city governments.
C)​County officials rely on the spoils system for hiring county employees.
D)​Most county officials are elected in competitive elections.
E)​Controlling contracts for road and bridges gives county commissioners hidden power and political influence.

Question 19

Cities in Texas with a population over _____ may choose to form their own city charters.

A)1,000
B)5,000
C)10,000
D)20,000
E)50,000

Question 20

Which of these is a consequence of the county being the creation of the stateand lacking home-rule authority?

A)​The organization and structure of county governments are uniform throughout the state.
B)​Counties often find themselves with unnecessary offices.
C)​Citizens of counties cannot change their form of government.
D)​Counties lack ordinance-making power to respond to problems.
E)​All of these are consequences.

Question 21

The ETJ helps to correct​ _____.

A)​the county's lack of ordinance power
B)​the lack of building code regulation outside of cities
C)​the actions of socially irresponsible developers
D)​"white flight"
E)​all of these

Question 22

Which statement best summarizes the weaknesses of the strong mayor-council form of city government?

A)​Mayor-council cities may be less efficient and have less consensus on policy.
B)​It often has full-time paid elected officials.
C)​It better copes with the problems of major urban areas.
D)​Most officials are elected rather than hired or appointed.
E)​The mayor has strong executive power.

Question 23

Most cites use zoning to control what can be built and where it can be built.Which city is the only major American city without zoning?

A)​Dallas
B)​Austin
C)Houston
D)​San Antonio
E)​Ft. Worth

Question 24

Which of these is not an argument of opponents of nonpartisan elections?

A)Nonpartisan elections rob the voters of the most important symbol that they have for making electoral choices.
B)Such elections contribute to low voter turnout.
C)The development of strong state parties is undermined by nonpartisan electionsbecause the grassroots are weak.
D)Nonpartisan elections encourage the development of civic organizations, which are basically political parties whose purposes are not always clear to the voters.
E)These elections enhance the community's ability to effectively criticize the government in power.

Question 25

​Annexation power allows cities to do all of these except _____.

A)​annex another incorporated city
B)​prevent suburbs from incorporating and blocking a city's growth
C)​prevent "white flight"
D)​expand their tax bases
E)bring adjacent areas inside the city's boundaries

Question 26

​What form of city government is preferable?

A)​Choosing any one form of government over the other makes no real difference, as other factors like the quality of the candidatesare more important.
B)​It depends on how many conflicts exist between the mayor and the city council.
C)​It depends on the size of the city and the degree of ethnic and social class diversity.
D)​Either a mayor-manager or a council-manager form is preferable.
E)​It depends on the salary paid to the mayor or the manager.

Question 27

​A constitution is to a state as a_____ is to a city.

A)​law
B)​ordinance
C)​charter
D)​form of government
E)​home rule

Question 28

In whichform of municipal government does the council act as a policymaking body and appoint a chief administrator for the city?

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

Question 29

​General law cities _____.

A)are usually less than 5,000 in population
B)operate under less flexible laws than home-rule cities
C)must use a mayor-council form of government
D)are usually less than 5,000 population and operate under less flexible laws than home-rule cities
E)are usually less than 5,000 population,operate under less flexible laws than home-rule cities, and must use a mayor-council form of government

Question 30

Whichof these citiesis the only large city in Texas that uses the mayor-council form of municipal government?

A)Austin
B)San Antonio
C)Houston
D)Dallas
E)Lubbock

Question 31

Whichform of city government is said to have originated in Galveston near the turn of the century?

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

Question 32

Advocates of district elections argue which of the following?

A)Minorities and people without personal wealth have a better chance of being elected.
B)Individuals electedare more likely to address the problems of the district.
C)Diversity on a city council is more likely, ensuring broad representation of political viewpoints.
D)Minorities and people without personal wealth have a better chance of being elected; and diversity on a city council is more likely, ensuring broad representation of political viewpoints.
E)Minorities and people without personal wealth have a better chance of being elected; individuals elected are more likely to address the problems of the district; and diversity on a city council is more likely, ensuring broad representation of political viewpoints.

Question 33

Which of these is the most commonly used form of home-rule city government in Texas?

A)council-manager
B)mayor-council
C)mayor-manager
D)county commissioners court
E)commission

Question 34

In a strong mayor-council form of municipal government,the mayor _____.

A)is elected by the city council
B)is subject to recall by the city's voters
C)is unable to influence the city budget
D)has the power to appoint and remove other city executives
E)has the power to remove council members

Question 35

​"White flight" involves affluent,mainly Anglo residents who _____.

A)move outside of city limits
B)​avoid paying city taxes
C)​continue to enjoy city amenities such as libraries, airports, and museums
D)​may be partially controlled through the city's use of the ETJ
E)​all of these

Question 36

Residents of the ETJ​​ _____.

A)​pay city taxes
B)​receive city services
C)​conform to city building and construction regulations
D)​vote in city elections
E)​all of these

Question 37

The most numerous type of government in Texas is _____.

A)general-law cities
B)home-rule cities
C)school districts
D)counties
E)special districts

Question 38

The main difference between the mayor-manager and the council-manager forms of city government is _____.

A)​the pay of the city manager
B)​whether the manager reports to the mayor or the city council
C)​the size of the city using the plan
D)​the lack of a city commission
E)​none of these

Question 39

The type of municipal election in which voters choose all of the members of the city council and vote for as many candidates as there are positions on the council is called a(n)_____ system.

A)at-large
B)place
C)district
D)precinct
E)primary

Question 40

Which of these is a criticism of the council-manager form ofgovernment?

A)The manager is not directly responsible to the voters, and the council is chosen by partisan election.
B)The values of the business community tend to be promoted, and the mayor may use the spoils system to staff government with his or her friends.
C)The manager is not directly responsible to the voters, and the values of the business community tend to be promoted.
D)The values of the business community tend to be promoted, and the council is chosen by partisan election.
E)The council is chosen by partisan election, and the mayor may use the spoils system to staff government with his or her friends.

Question 41

Explainthe management practices of county governmentfor hiring employees,purchasing,and the administration of roads and bridges.In what sense are these practices inefficient?In what sense do these practices suggest corruption?

Question 42

All of these issues or developments have affected and will affect local government except _____.

A)the necessity for increased strategic planning
B)the loss of population in metropolitan areas
C)the desirability of increased interlocal cooperation
D)increased needs for funding
E)the need for ordinance-making power for counties

Question 43

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the council-manager and the mayor-council forms of city government.What form of city government is preferable?Explain.

Question 44

Special districts have the advantage of _____.

A)being easy to establish and operate
B)offering great flexibility to governmental organizations
C)being able to remove technical problems from the political arena
D)bypassing the legal and organizational limitations of existing governments
E)all of these

Question 45

Describe the differences between partisan and nonpartisan elections and how that impacts city governance in Texas.Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of at-large systems and district systems for city elections.

Question 46

All of the following are true about school districts except _____.

A)the decisions of school boards are usually well publicized
B)there is generally considerable public interest in school district politics
C)the number of school districts has been increasing in recent years
D)the state shares in the funding responsibilities of school districts
E)school board members are elected

Question 47

Which of the following is not a criticism of special districts?

A)​Most voters know little about them or their operations.
B)​They cover very large geographic areas and are overly dependent on state control.
C)​They are uneconomical, with high interest rates on taxpayer-supported bonds.
D)​They complicate government, especially in urban areas.
E)​They promote haphazard development and inefficiency.

Question 48

​Texas relies heavily on special districts because ______.

A)​some problems, like flooding, cross city or county boundaries
B)some projects are too expensive for one unit of government
C)​many local governments were created under the Texas Constitution in the 1870s and are not capable of addressing complex modern problems
D)​they are easy to organize and operate
E)​all of these

Question 49

​How is the organization/structure of the county government like that of the state executive branch?

Question 50

Councils of government (COGs)function as _____.

A)planning and coordinating bodies for local governments
B)state "watchdogs" to monitor local governments
C)federal "watchdogs" to monitor local governments
D)policymaking boards for special districts
E)councils of county judges that make decisions formetropolitan statistical areas

Question 51

​Explain the taxing and spending challenges faced by local governments.

Question 52

​Why are there concerns about the long-term economic challenges faced by local governments?

A)​Texas has an increasing number of residents with less revenue to provide services.
B)​The public opposes tax increases.
C)State and national governments are unableto provide funds.
D)​State and national governments mandatespending money on certain programs.
E)​All of these are reasons for concern.

Question 53

​Explain the spoils system at the county level.Some argue that it is pluralist,while others argue that it is elitist.What do you think? Explain why you chose your answer.

Question 54

Your text claims that special districts are profoundly undemocratic and that they are "hidden governments."Explain what this means and in what waysspecial districts arehidden.Do you agree that these districts are undemocratic?Why or why not?

Question 55

​Describe the different ways that local governments raise revenue.On which source of revenue do local governments most rely?

Question 56

​What is the ETJ?Why is annexationimportant for city governments?

Question 57

Which statement does notaccurately summarize the leadership challenges in local government?

A)​County officials are mainly full-time, well-paid positions, while many city positions are part time and poorly paid.
B)​County governments are often dominated by rural interests.
C)Urban counties and cities are increasingly diverse.
D)​State meddling in the running of cities and counties is expected to increase.
E)Local officials expect a lack of funding for a growing population.

Question 58

The primary source of funding for Texas cities and other local governments is _____.

A)the ad valorem property tax
B)imposing user fees
C)relying on intergovernmental transfers of money
D)issuing revenue bonds
E)adding an income tax

Question 59

​Explain why citizens might be confused about what special districts are and how they function.

Question 60

Which of these is not a major item of expenditure for cities in Texas?

A)education
B)police and fire protection
C)utilities
D)solid-waste disposal
E)parks and recreation

Question 61

Cross-Chapter Essay Question (Chapters 11 and 12): Chapter 12 discusses the state government's underfunding of services.​How might such underfunding of services affect local governments?

Question 62

Cross-Chapter Essay Question (Chapters 2 and 11): In what ways does the Texas Constitution limit county government in Texas?What changes to the state's constitution would make county government more effective?