Chapter 11 Local Governemnt Flashcards
Commissioners Court
The administrative and legislative body of a county; in Texas, it has four elected members and is presided over by an elected county judge
Home Rule
The ability of cities with populations of 5,000 or more to organize themselves as they wish within the constitution and laws of Texas
At-large election
Elections in which each candidate for any given public office must run jurisdiction-wide in the entire city, county, or state when several similar positions are being filled
Gerrymandering
The practice of drawing electoral districts in such a way as to advantage one party or one faction
Spoils System
Appointing people to government jobs on the basis of whom they supported in the last election and how much money they contributed
General Laws
Statutes that pertain to all municipalities that do not have home-rule status
Nonpartisan elections
Elections in which candidates bear no party label such as Republican or Democrat
Place System
A form of at-large election in which all candidates are elected citywide, but the seats on the council are designated Place One, Place Two, and so forth, and each candidate runs only against others who have filed for the same place
District System
A system in which a candidate is required to live in the particular geographic area in which he or she runs for office
Ad Valorem Property Tax
A tax based on the value of real property, and in some cases, the contents of structures, assessed at some cents per $100 of valuation
Revenue Bonds
Government debt that is sold to private investors and paid off by the revenue produced from services such as water sales
User Fees
A fee for a specific governmental service charged to the person who benefits from the service; a greens fee at a municipal gold course and college tuition are both user fees
Intergovernmental Transfers
Money granted to a lower level of government by a higher level of government for a specific use, for example, welfare dollars that are passed to the county from the state and the national governments.
Stimulus funds
To help in recovering from the recession of 2007-2009, the national government created a variety of funds to aid both the private sector ( banks, insurance companies, automobile industry) and the public sector (local law enforcement, additional school teachers)
Mandate
Action that the national government requires state and local governments to take or that the state requires cities, countries,and special districts to take
