1. The difference between general law and home rule
– General Law: can only do what legislature LAW allows them to do
– Home Rule: pass any laws unless it’s against state law
2. The purpose of counties in state government (why the state created them)
– To provide units of state government closer to home for individual Texans
regardless of where they lived.
3. Various functions performed by county governments:
– Provide law enforcement for misdemeanor offenses
– Operate justice, county, and district courts
– Enforce state’s health laws and healthcare for poor people
– Collect and maintain records of births, marriages, divorces, and deeds
– Collect a number of taxes and fees for the state, including charges for license plates
and certificates of title for motor vehicle
– Register voters and conduct elections for the state
– Build and maintain roads and bridges
– May provide additional services such as airports, seaports, libraries, parks and
recreational facilities
4. County officials (for each, know how they are chosen and their role in county government)
a. County judge – elected at large, participates on the commissioners court as a voting
member and can fill vacancies until the next election.
b. County commissioners – governing body of a county (4), each from a different
precinct within the county
c. Sheriff – elected at large, police officer and administrates the county jail system.
d. Justices of the peace – lowest judges in the Texas judiciary, chosen through election
through districts(4)
e. Constables – regular police officers but also enforce state traffic laws, chosen
through election through districts (4)
f. County attorney – “district attorney” head of county’s legal department, elected by
county voters at large
5. What it takes for a city to adopt home rule
– If it has 5,000 residents or more
6. The meaning of a city charter
– A city constitution spelling out the structure, powers, procedures, and limits of the
city’s government.
7. Different forms of city government (know the details of each)
a. Strong mayor-council – mayor is the main figure in city government: political
leader and chief administrative officer, has a veto over actions of the city council, prepares
the initial draft of the city budget, appoints and removes department heads; no plural
executive, essentially runs the city’s government. Similar to the US govt. In DC
b. Weak mayor-council – authority is divided, the mayor must share some power with
other elected officials, some administrative officials are elected, similar to the state govt. In
Austin.
c. Council-manager – city management is professionalized, mayor is limited to
ceremonial duties and presiding at city council meetings, the council and mayor make city
policies, council hires a professional administrator, a city manager, to be the city’s chief
executive officer. The city manager prepares the city’s budget, hires and fires department
head, is in charge of implementing city policies. Resembles a corporation with a CEO and
board of directors.
d. Commission – legislative and executive powers are combined for an efficient
government. Voters elect commissioners, commissioners form a city council to pass
ordinances. Each commissioner is an administrator over a department like public safety,
streets, transportation and finance. There is no veto or check in government power.
8. Different municipal election systems (know how each one works)
a. At large (pure, place system, and cumulative voting) –
pure: candidates run against each other without declaring for particular seats on
the council, a voter can choose as many candidates as there are seats up for election and the
top votes win the council seats.
Place system: candidates call dibs for particular seats on the council, place 1, place 2
