Chapter 4 State and Local Government Flashcards
The principle that each legislative district within a state should have the same number of eligible voters so that representation is equitably based on population
one-person, one-vote
The document that describes the basic policies, procedures, and institutions of the government of a specific state, much as the US Constitution does for the federal government
state constitution
Advocated measures to destroy political machines and instead have voters participate directly in the nomination of candidates and the establishment of public policy.
progressive movement
Chief elected executive in state government
governor
The authority of a cheif executive to reject an entire bill that has been passed by the legislature.
package or general veto
The authority of a cheif executive to delete part of a bill passed by the legislatyre that involves taxing or spending. Ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
line-item veto
An executive grant providing restoration of all rights and privileges of citizenship to a specific induvidual charged or convicted of a crime.
pardon
The action of a governor to cancel all or part of the sentence of someone convicted of a crime, while keeping the conviction on the record.
commute
The authority of a governor to release a prisoner before his or her full sentence has been completyed and to specify conditions that must be met as part of the release
parole
To send someone against his or her will to another state to face criminal charges.
extradite
Restictions that exist in some states about how long an induvidual may serve in state or elected offices.
term limits
A method of selecting judges in which a governor must appoint someone from a list provided by an independent panel. Judges are then kept in office if theat get a majority of “yes” votes in general elections.
Missouri (Merit) Plan
A court ruling that local governments do not have inherent sovereignty but instead must be authorized by state government.
Dillon’s rule
A government with general responsibilites, such as city, town, or village, which is created in response to the emergence of relatively densely populated areas
municipality
A document that, like a constitution, specifies the basic polocies, procedures, and institutions of a municipality.
charter
Geographic district created within a state with a government that has general responsibilities for land, welfare, environment, and, where appropriate, rural service polocies.
county
A local government that is responsible for a particular function, such as schools, water, sewage, or parks.
special district
Form of local government in which all eligible voters are invited to attend a meeting and vote on policy and management issues.
town meeting
Cheif elected executive of a city
mayor
The legislature in a city government
city council
A professional executive hired by a city council or county board to manage daily operations and to reccomend policy chnages
manager
Government organization established to provide a particular service or run a particular facility that is independent of other cty or state agencies and is to be operated like a buisness. Examples include a port authority or a mass transit system.
public corporation (authority)
Form of local government in which several officials are elected to top positions that have both legislative and executive responsibilities.
commission
A contest in which political parties do not nominate candidates and ballots do not include any party identification of those running for office.
nonpartisan election
Election in which candidates run for an office that represents only the voters of a specific district within the jurisdiction.
district-based election
Election in whihc condidates for office must compete throughout the jurisdiction as a whole.
at-large election
An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popula vote.
initiative
An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval.
referendum
An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election.
recall
A type of sovereignty that places an American Indian tribe in the United States outside the authority of state governments but reliant on the federal government for the interpretation and application of treaty provisions.
domestic dependent nation
The legal obligation of the federal government to protect the interests of American Indian tribes
trust relationships
Land designated in a treaty that is under the authority of an American Indian nation and is exempt from most state laws and taxes.
reservation land
Land owned by an American Indian nation and designated by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs as exempt from most state laws and taxes
trust land
A formal, legal agrement, as that between a state and a tribe
compact
A budget in which the legislature balances expenditures with expected revenues with no deficit.
balanced budget
The tax level increases with the wealth or ability of an induvidual or buisness to pay.
progressive tax
The lax level increases as the wealth or ability of an induvidual or business to pay decreases.
regressive tax
Money that comes from a certain tax or fee and then is restricted to a specific use, such as a gasoline tax that is used for road maintenance.
segregated funds
