Question 1

Councils of government (COGs)function as _____.

Accepted Answer

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 
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 2

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

Accepted Answer

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 
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 3

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

Why is the prospect for reform in county government poor?

Accepted Answer

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 
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 5

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?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Local governments face several taxing an

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

Local governments raise revenue through

Question 8

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.

Accepted Answer

The council-manager and mayor-council fo

Question 9

Special districts have the advantage of _____.

Accepted Answer

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 
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 10

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

Accepted Answer

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 
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 11

Which county official is responsible for recording all legal documents?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

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. 
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 13

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

Accepted Answer

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. 
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 14

The ETJ helps to correct​ _____.

Accepted Answer

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 
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 15

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?

Accepted Answer

The underfunding of services by state go

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

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. 
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 18

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

Accepted Answer

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 
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

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

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. 
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 20

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

Accepted Answer

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 
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

Councils of government (COGs)function as _____.

Since 1950,the state of Texas has become _____.

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

Why is the prospect for reform in county government poor?

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?

Explain the taxing and spending challenges faced by local governments.

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

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.

Special districts have the advantage of _____.

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

Which county official is responsible for recording all legal documents?

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

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

The ETJ helps to correct _____.

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?

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

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

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

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

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

The Context of Texas Politics

The Constitutional Setting

Interest Groups

Political Parties

Voting,campaigns,and Elections

The Texas Legislature

The Governor

The Administrative State

The Judiciary

The Substance of Justice

The State Economy and the Financing of State Government

Public Policy: People

Public Policy: Resources

Filters

Exam 11: Local Government

Councils of government (COGs)function as _____.

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

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

Why is the prospect for reform in county government poor?

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?

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

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

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.

Special districts have the advantage of _____.

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

Which county official is responsible for recording all legal documents?

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

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

The ETJ helps to correct​ _____.

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?

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

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

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

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

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

The Context of Texas Politics

The Constitutional Setting

Interest Groups

Political Parties

Voting,campaigns,and Elections

The Texas Legislature

The Governor

The Administrative State

The Judiciary

The Substance of Justice

The State Economy and the Financing of State Government

Public Policy: People

Public Policy: Resources

Filters

Since 1950,the state of Texas has become _____.

Explain the taxing and spending challenges faced by local governments.

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

The ETJ helps to correct _____.

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?

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

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

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