What is the level of popularity of the commissioner system of city government in Texas today?
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No city in Texas today has a pure commissioner system, but a handful claim a variation of the system.
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In Texas, ________ create(s) special purpose districts.
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Texas voters in the areas that will be covered
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Which of the following is the most common form of local government in Texas?
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special purpose districts
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In large Texas counties, the ________ prepares the county budget.
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auditor
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The mayor-council form of government is most common in
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smaller general-law cities.
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What is the main difference between a home-rule city and a general-law city?
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A general-law city is chartered for localities with a population of fewer than 5,000 persons.
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The chief law-enforcement officer in county governments is the
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sheriff
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Why are Texas counties important?
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They provide the main form of government in rural areas.
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In most Texas cities that use the council-manager form of government today,
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there is a professional city manager, a mayor that is elected at large, and a city council that is elected by single-member districts.
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The commissioner form of city government was developed as a response to the
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hurricane at Galveston in 1900.
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What was the effect of Dallas shifting from an at-large to a single-member district system in 1991?
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The change was responsible for the election of a significant number of African American and Hispanic council members.
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What is an at-large election?
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an election in which voters elect officials from the entire geographical area rather than from a smaller district within the area
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How are most special purpose districts in Texas administered?
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They are run by a board elected by residents within the district.
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One of the most important social services provided by counties is
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indigent health care.
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If you want to know how many people serve on a city's governing body, which document do you need to consult?
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the city's home-rule charter
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In the case Avery v. Midland County, the U.S. Supreme Court held that
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The principle of "one person, one vote" applied to county commissioners' courts.
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In Texas, what is the name of the officer who presides over the county commissioners' court?
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county judge
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What type of government is called hidden government because people often do NOT know it exists?
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special purpose districts
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Special purpose districts were initially designed to help develop poor and rural areas of Texas. However, many people are now concerned that the system is being abused because
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real estate developers have figured out a way to develop the infrastructure for new developments but pass the costs on to future owners of the property.
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In a strong-mayor council form of government, who controls the legislative agenda of the city council?
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the mayor
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What is the function of the twenty-four councils of government in Texas today?
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They are a regional board meant to coordinate local planning and economic development.
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Commissioner forms of government were at the height of their popularity
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in 1918, during the Progressive era.
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A 2014 survey-based research study finds that elected officials may primarily use incentives -- even if they are not particularly effective -- for which of the following reasons?
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As a political tool in pursuit of electoral success
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In the commissioner form of government,
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the legislative and executive functions are performed by the elected commission.
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Dallas operates under which style of city government?
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council-manager
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The law enforcement budget at the county level is approved by the
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county commissioners' court.
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What are the main sources of revenue for special purpose districts in Texas?
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property taxes and user fees
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San Antonio operates under which style of city government?
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council-manager
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The chief financial officer for a city is called the
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city controller
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Which city governments have officials who act as both executives and legislators?
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commissioners
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Former governor Rick Perry used to use radio advertisements in an effort to recruit businesses primarily from which of the following states?
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California
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As the number of urban areas grew in the state in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the management of local affairs became such a growing burden on the state legislature that it passed the
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home-rule charter
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What is the main difference between a special purpose district and a county?
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A special purpose district provides only one specific service within a geographic region.
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Across the United States, which form of government for cities with over 10,000 residents has been the most popular?
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council manager
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According to the Dillon Rule doctrine,
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general-law cities and towns are much more constrained than home-rule cities, and cannot take any action unless explicitly authorized by a law passed by the state.
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Who is responsible for setting the county's budget and tax rate?
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commissioners' court
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The debate over preemption between local self-governance and control by the state government echoes which of the following:
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debates between the state governments and the federal government about which level of government should make governing decisions
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Existing evidence suggests that incentives have ___ on a business' decision to build or relocate in a particular locality.
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Marginal effects
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A school district is
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a special purpose district.
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The weak-mayor form of government is similar to the __________________ because they both ________________.
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plural executive; divide power among multiple people who can present the positions of their constituencies
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If you live outside city limits, water, sewer, sanitation, and electricity services are offered by
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municipal utility districts (MUDs).
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Which of the following is a source of often unanticipated costs faced by county governments?
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the financial burden of capital murder trials
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What is the most important expenditure of most county commissioners' courts?
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roads and bridges
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Cities and towns in Texas often see rapid population growth. Such growth requires school districts to quickly expand. In this type of situation, school districts use __________________ to borrow the necessary funds to achieve this goal.
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capital appreciation bonds (CABs)
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What is a key problem with counties in Texas?
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Many of them are too small and underpopulated to function well.
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Which of the following Texas cities received the largest amount of foreign direct investment between 2014 and 2016?
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Houston
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A ________ form of government is one in which public policies are developed by the city council and executive and administrative functions are assigned to a professional city manager.
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council manager
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Special purpose districts in Texas are
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democratic in theory but often not in practice.
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In smaller counties, the sheriff performs which of the following jobs?
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the tax assessor/collector.
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In Texas, county governments are responsible for which of the following tasks?
answer
administration of social services
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