1. Local Governments and Federalism Dillon’s Rule and Cooley Doctrine Texas’s local...

Local Governments and FederalismLocal Governments and Federalism DillonDillon’’s Rule and Cooley Doctrines Rule and Cooley Doctrine TexasTexas’’s local governments are created by s local governments are created by

the state and subject to the state.the state and subject to the state. More than 5,000 local governmentsMore than 5,000 local governments

Grassroots ChallengesGrassroots Challenges Making sure that all communities receive Making sure that all communities receive

equal access to public servicesequal access to public services Voter apathyVoter apathy

2Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning

Legal Status of MunicipalitiesLegal Status of Municipalities General-law city (900)General-law city (900) Home-rule city (350)Home-rule city (350)

RecallRecall InitiativeInitiative ReferendumReferendum


Forms of Municipal GovernmentForms of Municipal GovernmentStrong mayor-councilStrong mayor-councilWeak mayor-councilWeak mayor-councilCouncil-managerCouncil-managerCommissionCommission


Municipal PoliticsMunicipal Politics Rules make a differenceRules make a difference

Nonpartisan electionsNonpartisan elections Voter turnout lowVoter turnout low Reduced minority representationReduced minority representation More personal and less issue orientedMore personal and less issue oriented

At-large electionsAt-large elections Single-member district electionsSingle-member district elections


Municipal PoliticsMunicipal Politics Socioeconomic changesSocioeconomic changes

Increasing urbanization, education and economic Increasing urbanization, education and economic development have resulted in a more diverse statedevelopment have resulted in a more diverse state


Municipal ServicesMunicipal Services Police and fire protection, streets, water, Police and fire protection, streets, water,

sewer and sanitation, parks and recreation, sewer and sanitation, parks and recreation, libraries, airports, hospitals, community libraries, airports, hospitals, community development, housingdevelopment, housing

■ RegulationsRegulations Zoning, construction, food serviceZoning, construction, food service


Municipal Government RevenueMunicipal Government Revenue Resources limited with greater responsibility Resources limited with greater responsibility

placed on local governments placed on local governments Property and sales taxes Property and sales taxes FeesFees BondsBonds


Municipal Government RevenueMunicipal Government Revenue Property tax exemptions and caps Property tax exemptions and caps The bottom lineThe bottom line

Pressure against increasing taxes results in cutting Pressure against increasing taxes results in cutting services or finding other means of raising revenue.services or finding other means of raising revenue.


Generating Revenue for Economic Generating Revenue for Economic DevelopmentDevelopmentLess money coming from federal and state Less money coming from federal and state

government government Tax reinvestment zones (TRZs)Tax reinvestment zones (TRZs)

Tax breaks to attract investment in blighted inner-Tax breaks to attract investment in blighted inner-city and other areas needing development city and other areas needing development


Structure and OperationStructure and OperationProvided by Texas Constitution Provided by Texas Constitution Same basic structure for all counties Same basic structure for all counties Partisan election to serve four-year term for Partisan election to serve four-year term for

all elected county officials all elected county officials


Structure and OperationStructure and Operation Commissioners Court Commissioners Court

Major policy-making body of the countyMajor policy-making body of the county Membership includes four elected commissioners Membership includes four elected commissioners

for specific precinctfor specific precinct County JudgeCounty Judge

Presiding county officer Presiding county officer Completes administrative and judicial functionsCompletes administrative and judicial functions


Structure and OperationStructure and Operation County Attorney and District AttorneyCounty Attorney and District Attorney County SheriffCounty Sheriff

Chief law enforcement officerChief law enforcement officer Law enforcement and judgesLaw enforcement and judges

District court clerk, justices of the peace, District court clerk, justices of the peace, constablesconstables

Country Clerk and County Tax Assessor-Country Clerk and County Tax Assessor-CollectorCollector

Treasurer and AuditorTreasurer and Auditor18Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning

County FinanceCounty Finance TaxationTaxation

Property taxProperty tax Sales taxSales tax

Revenues from nontax sourcesRevenues from nontax sources FeesFees Federal grants-in-aidFederal grants-in-aid BondsBonds


County FinanceCounty Finance Tax incentives and subsidiesTax incentives and subsidies

Tax abatements, reimbursements, tax increment Tax abatements, reimbursements, tax increment financingfinancing

ExpendituresExpenditures Varies greatly between rural and metroVaries greatly between rural and metro Largest expenditures are hospitals and health Largest expenditures are hospitals and health

care, public safety and roadscare, public safety and roads Commissioners court approves the budgetCommissioners court approves the budget


County Government Reform County Government Reform Merit systems or home ruleMerit systems or home rule

Border Counties Border Counties High growth because of NAFTA and High growth because of NAFTA and

immigrationimmigration Most impoverished counties in the nation Most impoverished counties in the nation Colonias (2300) Colonias (2300)

Depressed housing settlements often without Depressed housing settlements often without running water or sewage systemsrunning water or sewage systems

Border securityBorder security21Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning

Public School Districts Public School Districts More than 1,000 independent school districtsMore than 1,000 independent school districts Governed by elected board Governed by elected board Primarily financed by local property taxesPrimarily financed by local property taxes Increasing ethnic diversityIncreasing ethnic diversity School finance issuesSchool finance issues


Junior or Community College Districts (50)Junior or Community College Districts (50) Elected boardElected board Receive property taxes raised by the local Receive property taxes raised by the local

district, state appropriations, small federal aiddistrict, state appropriations, small federal aid Noneducation Special Districts (2,300)Noneducation Special Districts (2,300)

Single districts that provide specific functions in Single districts that provide specific functions in an areaan area

Provide specific services that county may not be Provide specific services that county may not be able to coverable to cover

Personal profit motivationPersonal profit motivation


88% of Texans live in metropolitan areas.88% of Texans live in metropolitan areas. With many governments, addressing With many governments, addressing

problems is difficult.problems is difficult. Metro governmentMetro government

Councils of GovernmentsCouncils of Governments Voluntary associations of local governmentsVoluntary associations of local governments Perform regional planning activities and Perform regional planning activities and

provide servicesprovide services


Municipal AnnexationMunicipal Annexation Provides process for home-rule cities Provides process for home-rule cities

grappling with suburban sprawl grappling with suburban sprawl Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)

Allows regulation and annexation of Allows regulation and annexation of unincorporated areasunincorporated areas Intended to improve order and planningIntended to improve order and planning


1.1. Understand the relationships that exist Understand the relationships that exist between local governments, as well as between local governments, as well as the relationships between local the relationships between local government and the state and national government and the state and national governments.governments.

2.2. Recognize the importance of municipal Recognize the importance of municipal governments and their forms of governments and their forms of organization.organization.

3.3. Identify the forces that shape local Identify the forces that shape local government outcomes.government outcomes.


4.4. Analyze the structure and responsibilities Analyze the structure and responsibilities of counties. of counties.

5.5. Examine the importance of special Examine the importance of special districts and how they function within the districts and how they function within the greater community.greater community.

6.6. Discuss ways that local governments Discuss ways that local governments deal with metropolitan-wide and regional deal with metropolitan-wide and regional issues.issues.


1. Local Governments and Federalism Dillon’s Rule and Cooley Doctrine Texas’s local...

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