Question 1

Analyze the importance of county government in Texas. What are the main governmental tasks of counties? How are counties organized and how is authority distributed?

Accepted Answer

County government in Texas plays a cruci

Question 2

General-law cities have more autonomy from the state than home-rule charter cities.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

What type of government is called hidden government because people often do not know it exists?

Accepted Answer

A)  county government 
B)  special districts 
C)  city government 
D)  state government 
E)  councils of government 
A)  county government 
B)  special districts 
C)  city government 
D)  state government 
E)  councils of government

Question 4

Since 1954, there have been no home-rule chartered cities in Texas.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Commissioner governments are designed to run school districts and other special districts throughout the state.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

San Antonio and Dallas both have council-manager forms of government.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Which of the following statements about counties in Texas is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  Counties are an administrative arm of the state government. 
B)  There are over 250 counties in Texas. 
C)  Each county has four county commissioners. 
D)  All counties have approximately the same number of people. 
E)  The Texas constitution places many restrictions on the power of county government. 
A)  Counties are an administrative arm of the state government. 
B)  There are over 250 counties in Texas. 
C)  Each county has four county commissioners. 
D)  All counties have approximately the same number of people. 
E)  The Texas constitution places many restrictions on the power of county government.

Question 8

Special districts have often been called the hidden government. What are special districts? What are some of the services they provide? How are special districts created, governed, and funded?

Accepted Answer

Special districts are local government e

Question 9

What is the main difference between a home-rule city and a general-law city?

Accepted Answer

A)  A general-law city does not have a mayor. 
B)  A general-law city is chartered for localities with a population of less than 5,000 persons. 
C)  A general-law city is the name for all cities incorporated after 1901. 
D)  A general-law city has no power to set the property tax. 
E)  A general-law city has no city council. 
A)  A general-law city does not have a mayor. 
B)  A general-law city is chartered for localities with a population of less than 5,000 persons. 
C)  A general-law city is the name for all cities incorporated after 1901. 
D)  A general-law city has no power to set the property tax. 
E)  A general-law city has no city council.

Question 10

Many people have argued that Texas counties need to be more efficiently designed. What are the criticisms surrounding the size of counties? What are some particular examples of these problems with size?

Accepted Answer

The criticisms surrounding the size of T

Question 11

Which problem has been found recently in the system of special districts?

Accepted Answer

A)  State investigations have discovered numerous "phantom districts" that do not provide a service, yet bill the local counties for administrative costs. 
B)  Real estate developers have moved a few people onto land, rent free, who then vote for huge bond measures that future residents are obliged to pay. 
C)  The special districts for homeland security throughout Texas were uncoordinated and ill-prepared for September 11. 
D)  There has been widespread corruption among board members receiving bribes from citizens to lower their user fees. 
E)  Some districts have dealt with people buying property just outside the district boundaries and then demanding services from the district without having to pay for them. 
A)  State investigations have discovered numerous "phantom districts" that do not provide a service, yet bill the local counties for administrative costs. 
B)  Real estate developers have moved a few people onto land, rent free, who then vote for huge bond measures that future residents are obliged to pay. 
C)  The special districts for homeland security throughout Texas were uncoordinated and ill-prepared for September 11. 
D)  There has been widespread corruption among board members receiving bribes from citizens to lower their user fees. 
E)  Some districts have dealt with people buying property just outside the district boundaries and then demanding services from the district without having to pay for them.

Question 12

Why are Texas counties important?

Accepted Answer

A)  They create and regulate cities. 
B)  They act as legislative bodies, making most of the local laws. 
C)  They provide the main form of government in rural areas. 
D)  They have very broad governmental powers. 
E)  There are generally more county governments in Texas than any other form of government. 
A)  They create and regulate cities. 
B)  They act as legislative bodies, making most of the local laws. 
C)  They provide the main form of government in rural areas. 
D)  They have very broad governmental powers. 
E)  There are generally more county governments in Texas than any other form of government.

Question 13

There is no single way to run a city in Texas. What are the differences between a home-rule charter and a general-law city? What are the different forms of city government used in Texas? How do they differ from each other?

Accepted Answer

In Texas, cities can operate under eithe

Question 14

Special districts in Texas are

Accepted Answer

A)  democratic in theory, but often not in practice. 
B)  created and administered by county clerks. 
C)  the best example of participatory democracy in Texas. 
D)  a less common form of government than fifty years ago. 
E)  among the most studied areas of Texas politics. 
A)  democratic in theory, but often not in practice. 
B)  created and administered by county clerks. 
C)  the best example of participatory democracy in Texas. 
D)  a less common form of government than fifty years ago. 
E)  among the most studied areas of Texas politics.

Question 15

School boards can do all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A)  adopt a budget for the district. 
B)  draft standardized evaluation exams. 
C)  select textbooks for classroom use. 
D)  hire principals and faculty. 
E)  set overall policy for the school district. 
A)  adopt a budget for the district. 
B)  draft standardized evaluation exams. 
C)  select textbooks for classroom use. 
D)  hire principals and faculty. 
E)  set overall policy for the school district.

Question 16

Dallas operates under which form of city government?

Accepted Answer

A)  mayor-council style 
B)  council-manager style 
C)  commissioner style 
D)  council-mayor style 
E)  at-large style 
A)  mayor-council style 
B)  council-manager style 
C)  commissioner style 
D)  council-mayor style 
E)  at-large style

Question 17

Which of the following is a source of often unanticipated costs faced by county governments?

Accepted Answer

A)  the expense of city police salaries 
B)  the financial burden of capital murder trials 
C)  the spiraling costs of public education 
D)  the growing number of constables being employed at the county level 
E)  unexpected road and bridge maintenance 
A)  the expense of city police salaries 
B)  the financial burden of capital murder trials 
C)  the spiraling costs of public education 
D)  the growing number of constables being employed at the county level 
E)  unexpected road and bridge maintenance

Question 18

What is an at-large election?

Accepted Answer

A)  an election for offices that receive no official salary 
B)  an election in which voters elect officials from the entire geographical area, rather than from a smaller district within the area 
C)  an election held under the commission system of city government 
D)  an election in which one or more candidates are under criminal indictment 
E)  an election where anyone can vote, even those not previously registered 
A)  an election for offices that receive no official salary 
B)  an election in which voters elect officials from the entire geographical area, rather than from a smaller district within the area 
C)  an election held under the commission system of city government 
D)  an election in which one or more candidates are under criminal indictment 
E)  an election where anyone can vote, even those not previously registered

Question 19

All of the following are functions of county government except

Accepted Answer

A)  law enforcement. 
B)  bridge and road construction. 
C)  flood control. 
D)  record keeping. 
E)  county tax rates. 
A)  law enforcement. 
B)  bridge and road construction. 
C)  flood control. 
D)  record keeping. 
E)  county tax rates.

Exam 26: Local Government in Texas

Analyze the importance of county government in Texas. What are the main governmental tasks of counties? How are counties organized and how is authority distributed?

General-law cities have more autonomy from the state than home-rule charter cities.

What type of government is called hidden government because people often do not know it exists?

Since 1954, there have been no home-rule chartered cities in Texas.

Commissioner governments are designed to run school districts and other special districts throughout the state.

San Antonio and Dallas both have council-manager forms of government.

Which of the following statements about counties in Texas is incorrect?

Special districts have often been called the hidden government. What are special districts? What are some of the services they provide? How are special districts created, governed, and funded?

What is the main difference between a home-rule city and a general-law city?

Many people have argued that Texas counties need to be more efficiently designed. What are the criticisms surrounding the size of counties? What are some particular examples of these problems with size?

Which problem has been found recently in the system of special districts?

Why are Texas counties important?

There is no single way to run a city in Texas. What are the differences between a home-rule charter and a general-law city? What are the different forms of city government used in Texas? How do they differ from each other?

Special districts in Texas are

School boards can do all of the following except

Dallas operates under which form of city government?

Which of the following is a source of often unanticipated costs faced by county governments?

What is an at-large election?

All of the following are functions of county government except

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