chapter 25 texas counties and special districts what are some major elements of the nation’s...

CHAPTER 25

Texas Counties and Special DistrictsTexas Counties and Special Districts

• What are some major elements of the nation’s counties?

• How are Texas county governments structured?• What are the functions of special districts?• What are the functions of Texas school districts?

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The Nation’s CountiesThe Nation’s Counties

• A county is a major unit of local government in most States.

• The function of counties varies from region to region.

• They may share the functions of local government or be the major units of government for rural areas.

• Counties vary widely in area and population.

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County Government StructureCounty Government Structure

Typical County Government Structure

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Other County Officials

Sheriff• Provides police protection, carries out local court orders

County Clerk• Registers and records documents including birth and marriage certificates

Assessor and Collector of Taxes• Appraises all taxable property in the county and collects taxes

County Treasurer• Keeps county funds and makes authorized payments

District Attorney• Acts as prosecuting attorney and carries out criminal investigations

The commissioner’s court is the governing body of a Texas county, consisting of four commissioners and one county judge. It sets policy and directs the administration of the county.

The Structure of Texas CountiesThe Structure of Texas Counties

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Special DistrictsSpecial Districts

• Currently, some 3,200 special districts exist in the State of Texas.

• They fill a need that existing governmental units do not provide.

• They are relatively easy to set up.• They focus their efforts on a specific problem.

A special district is an independent unit created to perform one or more related governmental functions at the local level.

CHAPTER 25

Texas School DistrictsTexas School Districts

• School districts are governed by an elected board of trustees with up to seven members, who are responsible for• hiring and firing teachers;

• building new schools;

• buying school supplies;

• setting district school tax rates;

• selecting a superintendent of schools to oversee the administration of policy.

Schools are administered and funded by a separate governmental unit.

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Section 1 AssessmentSection 1 Assessment

1. Which of the following is not true about Texas counties?

(a) They register and record deeds.

(b) They assess property values.

(c) They conduct criminal investigations.

(d) They maintain schools.

2. What is the function of special districts?

(a) They perform a governmental function at the local level.

(b) They produce laws.

(c) They provide emergency services.

(d) Their functions vary depending on their purpose.

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CHAPTER 25

Cities and Metropolitan Areas in Texas and the NationCities and Metropolitan Areas in Texas and the Nation

• What are the reasons for America’s shift from a rural to an urban society?

• What are the major forms of city government?• Why is city planning necessary?• What challenges face the suburbs and

metropolitan areas?

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America’s Rural-Urban ShiftAmerica’s Rural-Urban Shift

• In 1790, five percent of the U.S. population lived in cities.

• The Industrial Revolution caused many people to move to urban centers.

• Farms became mechanized, and fewer people grew more food.

• By 1900, two fifths of the nation’s people lived in urban areas.

• By 1920, more than half of the population were city dwellers.

• Today, more than 75 percent live in cities and suburbs.

• Consequently, the strain on local governments to provide services to their populations has grown.

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General-Law and Home-Rule CitiesGeneral-Law and Home-Rule Cities

• General-law cities, cities with fewer than 5,000 residents, operate under the rules set by the Texas State legislature.

• A city with a population of more than 5,000 may operate as a general-law city or may opt to draw up its own charter and become a home-rule city.

• A charter is a city’s basic law, its constitution.

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Mayor-Council Form of City GovernmentMayor-Council Form of City Government

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Commission Form of City GovernmentCommission Form of City Government

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Council-Manager Form of City GovernmentCouncil-Manager Form of City Government

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City PlanningCity Planning

Planning Growth• Most cities have a planning

agency that consists of a planning commission supported by a professional staff.

• Most federal grant and loan programs require a master plan for future growth.

City Zoning• Zoning is the practice of dividing

a city into districts and regulating property uses.

• The three uses are generally residential, commercial, and industrial.

• Each zone is then subdivided. Residential zones may be subdivided into single-family, two-family, and multifamily units.

• Zoning may also determine height and area limits for buildings.

• Zoning ordinances must be reasonable.

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Municipal FunctionsMunicipal Functions

• Public Utilities• Public Housing• Parks and Recreation• Building Codes• Sanitation• Police and Fire Protection• Auditoriums and Sports Arenas• School and Recreational Institutions• Infrastructure Building and Maintenance• Public Health Facilities

CHAPTER 25

Suburbs and Metropolitan AreasSuburbs and Metropolitan Areas

The Suburb Boom• More than half of all Americans

live in suburbs.• Suburbs grew rapidly after World

War II.• Americans wanted more room,

cheaper land, privacy, and less pollution and congestion.

• Businesses moved to the suburbs for cheaper land, lower taxes, and a stable labor supply.

• The move to the suburbs made many urban areas less financially stable and socially inclusive.

Metropolitan Areas• To meet the service needs of their

residents, such as providing a water supply, sewage disposal, and police protection, some metropolitan governments have been created that annex outlying suburban areas.

• Specifically designed to meet the problems of heavily populated urban areas, special districts are created that cross county and city lines.

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1. What percentage of Americans live in cities and suburbs today?

(a) less than 20 percent

(b) 50 percent

(c) 60 percent

(d) more than 75 percent

2. Which is not one of the functions of municipalities?

(a) wastewater treatment

(b) creating State parks

(c) regulating traffic

(d) managing public housing


CHAPTER 25

Providing Important FunctionsProviding Important Functions

• Why do State governments have a major role in providing important services?

• What types of services do the Texas State and local governments provide?

• What are the costs of these services?

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State Government’s RoleState Government’s Role

• The U.S. Constitution reserves for the States all the powers not expressly delegated to Congress and not specifically denied to the States.

• State responsibilities are to “establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty.”

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Services Provided by Texas State and Local Governments

Services Provided by Texas State and Local Governments

• education;• public welfare;• public safety;• highways;• other services.

Texas State and local governments provide the following kinds of services:

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Texas State and Local ServicesTexas State and Local Services

Selected Texas State and Local Spending

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1. What is the major category of State and local spending? (a) public safety(b) highways(c) natural resources(d) education

2. Which is not a considered a public welfare program?(a) public health(b) road maintenance(c) welfare(d) Medicaid


CHAPTER 25

Financing State and Local GovernmentFinancing State and Local Government

• What are the major Federal and State limits on raising revenue?

• What are the four principles of sound taxation?• What are the major tax and nontax sources of

State and local revenue?• How does the Texas State budget process work?

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Limits on Raising RevenueLimits on Raising Revenue

• interstate and foreign commerce;

• the Federal Government and its agencies;

• any unfairly imposed or administered tax;

• taxes that require confiscated property;

• taxes imposed for other than public purposes.

• Most constitutions create tax-exempt groups.

• State codes often set maximum rates for levies.

• Some taxes are prohibited.

Federal LimitationsStates cannot raise revenue from:

State LimitationsState constitutions limit the State and local taxing powers.

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The Principles of Sound TaxationThe Principles of Sound Taxation

• Subjects contribute in proportion to their abilities.

• Taxes are certain and not arbitrary.• Taxes are levied at a time and in a manner

convenient to the contributor.• Taxes should not take much more money from

the people than government needs.

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Sources of RevenueSources of Revenue

State and Local Revenue

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Sources of Texas State RevenueSources of Texas State Revenue

• Sales tax accounts for more than half of all tax monies of the State of Texas and is a regressive tax paid for by the consumer.

• Income tax, a progressive tax levied by most States, is not a tax levied by Texas.

• Property tax

• Inheritance tax

• Business taxes

• Other taxes and fees– Amusement tax– Fees on licenses for motor vehicles, hunting, fishing, and marriage

CHAPTER 25

The Texas State Budget ProcessThe Texas State Budget Process

• The governor and the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) work together to develop an overall budget strategy, or vision, for Texas.

• Each agency prepares estimates of its needs for the upcoming fiscal period.

• Estimates are reviewed by the governor and the LBB, and the revised estimates with supporting information are presented by the LBB to both houses of the legislature.

• Hearings are held by the house committees before both houses vote on and pass the bill.

• The comptroller of public accounts certifies that the required funds are available.

• The bill goes to the governor for signature.• The LBB and the State Auditor’s Office monitor budget compliance.

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1. The Federal Government does not allow States to tax(a) interstate commerce.(b) the sale of food.(c) property.(d) income.

2. What is the major source of State and local revenue?(a) individual income tax(b) property tax(c) corporate income tax

(d) sales tax


chapter 25 texas counties and special districts what are some major elements of the nation’s...

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