Question 1

All large cities in Texas have structures of government that give strong executive powers to the mayor.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

What is the most important expenditure of most county commissioners' courts?

Accepted Answer

A)   roads and bridges
B)   building and maintaining county hospitals
C)   water
D)   law enforcement

Question 3

The law enforcement budget at the county level is approved by the

Accepted Answer

A)   constable.
B)   sheriff.
C)   county judge.
D)   county commissioners' court.

Question 4

Who collects the taxes owed to the county?

Accepted Answer

A)   county tax assessor-collector
B)   county clerk
C)   county treasurer
D)   county auditor

Question 5

San Antonio operates under which style of city government?

Accepted Answer

A)   mayor-council
B)   council-manager
C)   commissioner
D)   council-mayor

Question 6

What is a key problem with counties in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)   Many of them are too small and underpopulated to function well.
B)   County laws were made in the twentieth century, making them too old-fashioned.
C)   There is a lack of diversity when it comes to counties.
D)   Too often the county seats cannot be reached in a day's drive.

Question 7

Since each county in Texas is required under the one person, one vote doctrine to have approximately the same number of residents, county lines must be redrawn every ten years as part of the redistricting process after the census.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which city governments have officials who act as both executives and legislators?

Accepted Answer

A)   strong-mayor councils
B)   mayor-councils
C)   commissioners
D)   weak-mayor councils

Question 9

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

a. Importance: County government in Texa...

Question 10

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.

Accepted Answer

A)   capital appreciation bonds (CABs) 
B)   general obligation bonds (GABs) 
C)   revenue anticipation notes (RANs) 
D)   capital investment bonds (CIBs)

Question 11

There is no single way to run a city in Texas. Compare and contrast the governments of Texas cities.

Accepted Answer

a. Forms of government in Texas cities: ...

Question 12

Employee pensions are an issue for all levels of government in Texas. Which of the following is a change that has been recently implemented as a way to make pension plans more economically sound?

Accepted Answer

A)   decreased years of service required
B)   privatized accounts
C)   reduced employee contribution
D)   increased retirement age

Question 13

In the commissioner form of government,

Accepted Answer

A)   the elected city council performs the legislative functions, and also appoints a commissioner to perform the executive functions.
B)   The elected mayor shares executive power with the appointed commissioner, while the city council has legislative power.
C)   the legislative and executive functions are performed by the elected commission.
D)   the elected commission has legislative power, while the elected mayor has executive power.

Question 14

Different types of city government create different political opportunities and problems. Using the different city government types, describe the particular political environments of Texas's four largest cities.

Accepted Answer

a. Houston: Has a strong-mayor council f...

Question 15

One problem with special purpose districts is that sometimes local government officials work in relative obscurity, avoiding media and public scrutiny.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

A)   state investigations discovered numerous "phantom districts" that do not provide any tangible services, yet still bill local counties for administrative costs.
B)   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.
C)   the special purpose districts for homeland security throughout Texas were uncoordinated and ill-prepared for September 11, 2001.
D)   there is a lack of coordination and cooperation between agencies responsible for dealing with natural disasters such as fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Question 17

What was the effect of Dallas shifting from an at-large to a single-member district system in 1991?

Accepted Answer

A)   The change was responsible for the election of a significant number of African American and Hispanic council members.
B)   The city lost its status as a home-rule city for five years.
C)   At-large districts benefited the local Democratic Party.
D)   It was challenged in court but found to be constitutional by the Texas Supreme Court.

Question 18

Which of the following cities currently has a city government with a strong mayor-council form of government?

Accepted Answer

A)   Dallas
B)   San Antonio
C)   Austin
D)   Houston

Question 19

What is the level of popularity of the commissioner system of city government in Texas today?

Accepted Answer

A)   It is the most popular form of city government in Texas.
B)   No city in Texas today has a pure commissioner system, but a handful claim a variation of the system.
C)   While less popular than the mayor-council system, the commissioner system is used by more than 100 cities in Texas today.
D)   Commissioner systems have never been used in Texas.

Question 20

In Texas, special purpose districts are run by a board of trustees appointed by the governor.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 10: Local Government

San Antonio operates under which style of city government?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is a key problem with counties in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Since each county in Texas is required under the one person, one vote doctrine to have approximately the same number of residents, county lines must be redrawn every ten years as part of the redistricting process after the census.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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?

Correct Answerverifieda. Importance: County government in Texa...View AnswerShow Answer

What is the level of popularity of the commissioner system of city government in Texas today?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Different types of city government create different political opportunities and problems. Using the different city government types, describe the particular political environments of Texas's four largest cities.

Correct Answerverifieda. Houston: Has a strong-mayor council f...View AnswerShow Answer

The law enforcement budget at the county level is approved by the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There is no single way to run a city in Texas. Compare and contrast the governments of Texas cities.

Correct Answerverifieda. Forms of government in Texas cities: ...View AnswerShow Answer

All large cities in Texas have structures of government that give strong executive powers to the mayor.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the commissioner form of government,

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In Texas, special purpose districts are run by a board of trustees appointed by the governor.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which city governments have officials who act as both executives and legislators?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Employee pensions are an issue for all levels of government in Texas. Which of the following is a change that has been recently implemented as a way to make pension plans more economically sound?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following cities currently has a city government with a strong mayor-council form of government?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the most important expenditure of most county commissioners' courts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What was the effect of Dallas shifting from an at-large to a single-member district system in 1991?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

One problem with special purpose districts is that sometimes local government officials work in relative obscurity, avoiding media and public scrutiny.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Who collects the taxes owed to the county?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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a. Importance: County government in Texa...
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a. Houston: Has a strong-mayor council f...
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a. Forms of government in Texas cities: ...
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