Chapter 13 Flashcards
There are ________ counties in the state of Texas.
254
County government in Texas exists primarily to govern
rural areas
The ____________ presides over meetings of the county commissioners’ court with both administrative and judicial powers.
county judge
The chief financial officer of a city is called the
comptroller.
One of the functions of the county clerk is to keep records for
property transactions.
County officials are
elected by the voters.
A city with a population in excess of 5,000 may adopt a(n) ____________, which allows for some degree of self-rule.
home-rule charter
What is the main difference between a homerule city and a general law city?
A general law city is chartered for localities with a population of less than 5,000.
What is a key problem with counties in Texas?
Many of them are too small and underpopulated to function well.
he council-manager form of government is distinctive in its use of a _______________, who is a professionally trained administrator.
city manager
The mayor of which city is regarded as a strong mayor because he or she has the authority to appoint department heads and advisory board members
Houston
San Antonio, the second-largest city in Texas, has a ____________ form of municipal government
council-manager
Which form of city government does Dallas operate under?
council-manager–style
What is an at-large election?
an election in which voters elect officials from the entire geographical area, rather than from a smaller district within the area
A ____________ is a unit of local government that performs a single service in a limited geographical area.
special district
A ____________ is created to promote the coordination of efforts among various units of local government
council of government
With over 1,000 different special districts covering every square inch of the state, the most common form is the ____________district.
independent school
A ________________ offers electricity, water, sewer, and sanitation services outside the city limits.
municipal utility district
Community colleges are governed by a
board of regents.
____________ are the primary source of revenue for special districts.
Property taxes
How many counties are there in the state of Texas?
254
Why are county governments important in Texas?
They provide the main form of government in rural areas.
In Texas, what is the name of the officer who presides over the county commissioners’ court?
county judge
Which city official is the financial officer of the local government?
city comptroller
Who keeps county records for property transactions?
county clerk
How do county officials gain office?
elected by the voters
A home-rule charter allows for some degree of ____________ for a city with a population in excess of 5,000.
self-rule
____________ is chartered for localities with a population of less than 5,000.
A general-law city
The key problem with counties in Texas is that
many of them are too small and underpopulated to function well.
The ____________ of government makes use of a professionally trained city manager.
council-manager style
When a mayor has the authority to appoint department heads and advisory board members, he or she is called a ____________ mayor
strong
San Antonio operates under which form of city government?
council-manager style
Dallas operates under the ____________ of city government.
council-manager style
An election in which voters elect officials from the entire geographical area, rather than from a smaller district within the area, is called
an at-large election
Which unit of local government performs a single service in a limited area?
special district
A council of governments is intended to increase the coordination between
local governments.
There are currently more than ____________ independent school district across the state of Texas.
1,000
A municipal utility district (MUD)
specifically addresses the needs of developers.
A board of regents is designed to govern
community colleges.
What are the main sources of revenue for special districts in Texas?
property taxes and user fees
