copyright © 2011 pearson education, inc. publishing as …state and local finance policy


Chapter 21: The New Face of

State and Local Government

• State Constitutions • State Elections • Governors and the Executive Branch • State Legislatures • State Court Systems • Direct Democracy • Local Governments • State and Local Finance Policy • Understanding State and Local

Governments • Summary


Chapter Outline and Learning

Objectives

• State Constitutions

• LO 21.1: Describe how state constitutions

differ and a common process for amending

state constitutions.

• State Elections

• LO 21.2: Summarize recent patterns in

partisan competition in state elections and

party control in state government.



Objectives

• Governors and the Executive Branch

• LO 21.3: Outline the roles and

responsibilities of governors and

distinguish their formal and informal

powers.



Objectives

• State Legislatures

• LO 21.4: Describe the functions of state

legislatures and contrast state legislators

today with those of the past.



Objectives

• State Court Systems

• LO 21.5: Outline the basic elements of most

state court systems and describe the

various methods for selecting state judges.

• Direct Democracy

• LO 21.6: Differentiate types of direct

democracy and evaluate direct democracy.



Objectives

• Local Governments

• LO 21.7: Explain Dillon’s rule, and

differentiate five types of local government.

• State and Local Finance Policy

• LO 21.8: Contrast state revenue and

expenditures with local revenue and

expenditures and outline ways state and

local governments have tried to increase

revenue.



Objectives

• Understanding State and Local

Governments

• LO 21.9: Assess the democratic elements

and problems of state and local

government.

State Constitutions LO 21.1: Describe how state constitutions

differ and a common process for

amending state constitutions.

• Subnational Governments

• State and local governments have new responsibilities and importance with reform, modernization, and changing intergovernmental relations.

• States revitalized their institutions, personnel, and roles since 1960s.

• Diversity in state governments’ policy and political behavior.

To Learning Objectives Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

LO 21.1



State Constitutions

• State Constitutions in Context

• Amending State Constitutions

To Learning Objectives

LO 21.1


State Constitutions

• State Constitutions in Context

• State constitutions provide far more detail about specific policies than the U.S. Constitution.

• This level of specificity leads to constitutions that are long.

• Constitutions – The U.S. constitution has 8,700 words and states’ can be 220,000 words long like Alabama’s.


LO 21.1


LO 21.1


State Constitutions

• Amending State Constitutions

• Referendum – Legislature proposes an

amendment (usually by passing a

resolution to this effect by a vote of two-

thirds of the legislature and in 12 states

doing so in two consecutive sessions) and

a majority vote in the next general election

ratifies it.


LO 21.1


State Constitutions

• Amending State Constitutions (cont.)

• Initiatives – Either direct (from voters and

directly to the ballot) or indirect (from

voters to the legislature first), approved by

a majority vote in the next general election.

• Constitutional Convention – The

legislators hold a convention to try to write

a new constitution.


LO 21.1

State Elections LO 21.2: Summarize recent patterns in

partisan competition in state elections and

party control in state government.

• Gubernatorial Elections

• State Legislative Elections

• The Changing Face of State Elected

Officials



State Elections

• Gubernatorial Elections

• Presidentialization – Elections resemble

the personality focused modern campaigns

for president.

• Television, money and the decoupling of

gubernatorial races from presidential races

and state political party organizations make

gubernatorial campaigns more important.

LO 21.2



State Elections

• State Legislative Elections

• Baker v. Carr (1962) – Applied the

principle of one person, one vote in

drawing up state house districts.

• Reynolds v. Sims (1964) – Applied the

principle of one person, one vote in

drawing up state senate districts.


LO 21.2


LO 21.2


State Elections

• State Legislative Elections (cont.)

• Congressionalization – Candidate

centered campaigns, like congressional

races, in which parties do play an

important role.

• More resources (staff and time) go to

incumbents seeking re-election, and there

are more PACs at the state level to

contribute to expensive campaigns.


LO 21.2


State Elections


• Divided government – No party controls

both state legislature houses and the

governor’s office.

• After the 2008–2009 elections, 23 states

had divided government.

• Coherent policy action is hard because in a

divided government the parties have

conflicting policy and electoral goals.


LO 21.2


LO 21.2


State Elections


• An increase in divided government, along

with the increases in party competition and

switching of party control, has tended to

increase legislative partisan voting

behavior and polarize legislative

deliberations, thereby making compromise

harder to come by.


LO 21.2


State Elections


• Since 1990, 21 states have adopted term

limits for state legislators.

• Term limits in 6 states have been

overturned by the courts or state

legislature, leaving only 15 term-limit laws

intact.

• The number of terms permitted varies from

state to state.


LO 21.2


State Elections

• The Changing Face of State Elected

Officials

• In 2010, there were 6 female state

governors and 13 female lieutenant

governors.

• State legislators – 24.3% women and 58

in leadership positions in 2010; 628 African

Americans (9%) in 2009; 3% Latino in

2009; and 1% Asian American in 2008.


LO 21.2


LO 21.2

Governors and the Executive Branch LO 21.3: Outline the roles and

responsibilities of governors and distinguish

their formal and informal powers.

• The Job of Governor

• Other Executive Officers



Governors and the Executive Branch

• The Job of Governor

• Veto and executive budget – Two formal

powers of governor for controlling state

government.

• Veto – Refuse to sign a bill passed by the state

legislature, blocking it from becoming law.

• Line-item veto – 42 governors can veto certain

parts of a bill and allow the rest to pass into

law.

LO 21.3



LO 21.3



• The Job of Governor (cont.)

• Initiate budget process – Annual State of

the State address lets a governor set the

agenda for what are the most important

bills of the state legislative session.

• Real power – How a governor uses

character, leadership style, and persuasive

abilities in conjunction with formal powers.


LO 21.3


LO 21.3



• Other Executive Officers

• Lieutenant Governor – Elected in 43

states, 2nd highest executive official, and

elected on ticket with governor in 24 states

and separately in others.

• Most lieutenant governors have few formal

executive duties but have the legislative

duty of presiding over the state senate.


LO 21.3



• Other Executive Officers (cont.)

• Attorney General – Legal counsel and

prosecutor (43 elected).

• Treasurer – Manage the state’s bank

accounts (38 elected).

• Secretary of State – Elections and record-

keeping (36 elected).

• Auditor – Financial comptroller for the

state (25 elected). To Learning Objectives

LO 21.3


LO 21.3

State Legislatures LO 21.4: Describe the functions of state

legislatures and contrast state legislators

today with those of the past.

• 4 Functions Performed By All State

Legislatures

• They make almost all the basic laws of the

state by approving identical bills in both

their chambers (except with Nebraska’s

unicameral legislature).

• They appropriate the money that is needed

for the state government to function.



State Legislatures


Legislatures (cont.)

• They oversee the activities of the executive

branch through confirming gubernatorial

appointments, controlling the budgets of

the agencies, and investigating complaints

and concerns of citizens and the press.

LO 21.4



State Legislatures


Legislatures (cont.)

• State legislators themselves attend closely

to the needs of their constituents, whether

through voting on bills in line with their

constituents’ interests or chasing down

problems a citizen has with a bureaucratic

agency.


LO 21.4


State Legislatures

• 3 Legislative Professionalism Reforms

• Longer legislative sessions give legislators

more time to deal with the increasingly

complex problems of the states.

• In 2010, 44 state legislatures had annual

sessions lasting 3-5 months, with a few (MI,

MA, and WI) meeting year-round.


LO 21.4


State Legislatures


(cont.)

• Increase legislators’ salaries so they could

devote more time to the state’s business and

less to their regular job.

• In 2010, the $80,000 MI state representatives

earned allowed them to focus full-time on

legislative duties.


LO 21.4


State Legislatures


(cont.)

• Increase in the staff available helps legislators

in their duties.

• Since 1979, permanent state legislative staff

has increased over 60%.


LO 21.4


LO 21.4


State Legislatures

• De-Professionalizing Trend In Some

State Legislatures

• Term limits laws are the most obvious form

of this trend, but recent laws in California

limiting legislative staffing and in Colorado

limiting the powers of the legislative

leadership signal this trend.


LO 21.4

State Court Systems LO 21.5: Outline the basic elements of

most state court systems and describe the

various methods for selecting state

judges.

• State Court Organization

• Selecting Judges



State Court Systems

• State Court Organization

• Trial Courts – Geographical jurisdiction

usually established for county-sized areas

and are the setting for most trials.

• They are known by a variety of labels such

as district courts, circuit courts, superior

courts, and (in the case of New York)

supreme courts.

LO 21.5



State Court Systems

• State Court Organization (cont.)

• Judges assigned to these trial courts work

in only one county and specialize in

criminal, juvenile, or civil litigation.

• A single judge presides over each case,

and citizens may be called on to serve as

jurors and members of grand jury panels.


LO 21.5


State Court Systems


• Intermediate Courts of Appeals are

organized on regional basis and with

judges working together in panels of 3 or

more with a majority deciding each case.

• They exist in 38 large states and consider

appeals of trial court decisions that the

loser feels were unfair.


LO 21.5


State Court Systems


• Appellate courts – No witnesses are called, juries are not used, and judges read briefs and hear lawyers’ arguments on whether the law was correctly applied at the trial court and whether due process of law was followed.

• Judges interpret laws and the state or national constitution as they apply to the case.


LO 21.5


State Court Systems


• Court of Last Resort – Usually called the

state supreme court, this serves as the

court of final appeal for all cases in the

state court system and has the

responsibility for administering and

regulating the justice system in the state.


LO 21.5


State Court Systems


• Court of Last Resort – Appoints a chief

court administrator to handle the day-to-

day budgeting, operations, and

organization of all the courts in the state,

and establishes boards to oversee and

deal with complaints against lawyers and

judges in the state.


LO 21.5


LO 21.5


State Court Systems

• Selecting Judges

• Appointed in 15 states – By the Governor

in 10 states (DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NM,

NJ, NY, RI, and VT) and by the Legislature

in 5 states (CT, HI, RI, SC, and VA).

• Elected by Partisan Election in 11 states –

AL, AR, IL, IN, MS, NY, NC, PA, TN, TX,

and WV.


LO 21.5


State Court Systems

• Selecting Judges (cont.)

• Elected by Non-Partisan Election in 19

states – AZ, CA, FL, GA, ID, KS, KY, LA,

MI, MN, MT, NV, NM, ND, OH, OK, OR,

SD, and WA.

• Selected by Merit Plan Method in 16 states

– AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IN, IA, KS, MD, MO,

NE, OK, SD, TN, UT, and WY.


LO 21.5


State Court Systems

• Selecting Judges (cont.)

• Merit Plan – Method to select state judges

in which governors appoint persons based

on the recommendations of a committee.

• After judge serves a short term of 1 year a

retention election is held, in which the

voters are asked if they want to retain the

judge for a longer term.


LO 21.5


LO 21.5

Direct Democracy LO 21.6: Differentiate types of direct

democracy, and evaluate direct

democracy.


• Government controlled directly by citizens

in some states.

• 3 procedures of direct democracy are the

initiative, referendum, and recall, which

give voters a direct impact on policymaking

and the political process by means of the

voting booth.


LO 21.6



Direct Democracy

• Initiative

• Voters place proposed changes to state

law on the ballot if sufficient signatures are

obtained on petitions calling for such a

vote.

• 24 states use initiative – AK, AZ, AR, CA,

CO, FL, ID, IL, ME, MA, MI, MS, MO, MT,

NE, NV, ND, OH, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA,

and WY.


LO 21.6


Direct Democracy

• Referendum

• Voters approve or disapprove legislation,

bonds, tax changes, or a constitutional

amendment proposed by state legislature.

• 23 states use initiative – AZ, AR, CA, DE,

ID, IL, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, MT, NE,

NV, NM, ND, OH, OK, OR, SD, UT, and

WA.


LO 21.6


LO 21.6


Direct Democracy

• Recall

• A procedure that allows voters to call a

special election for a specific official in an

attempt to throw him or her out of office

before the end of term.

• 17 states use recall – AK, AZ, CA, GA, ID,

KS, LA, MI, MN, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD,

WA, and WI.


LO 21.6

Local Governments LO 21.7: Explain Dillon’s rule, and

differentiate five types of local government.

• Dillon’s Rule

• Iowa Judge John Dillon in an 1868

decision ruled that local governments have

only those powers that are explicitly given

them by the states.

• Local governments have very little

discretion over what policies they pursue or

how they pursue them.



Local Governments

• Three Ways Local Governments

Influence Their Own Destiny

• Local officials form interest groups to lobby

state officials.

• Many cities have managed to get state

legislatures to grant them autonomy

through local charters.

• Some cities can write their own charters

and change them without state legislature

permission.

LO 21.7



Local Governments

• Local Charter

• An organizational statement and grant of

authority from the state to a local

government, much like a state or national

constitution.

• Home Rule

• Municipalities are permitted by the states

to write their own charters and change

them without permission of state

legislature. To Learning Objectives

LO 21.7


Local Governments

• Number and Types of Local

Governments

• Fragmentation, Cooperation, and

Competition


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments

• 89,476 Total Local Governments

• 3,033 Counties

• 19,492 Municipalities

• 16,519 Townships

• 13,051 School Districts

• 37,381 Special Districts


LO 21.7


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Counties – Keep records of births, deaths,

and marriages; establish justice and law

enforcement; maintain roads and bridges;

collect taxes; conduct voter registration

and elections; and provide for public

welfare and education.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Counties have an elected county

commission, the legislative body that

makes policy.

• Other officials who run county services

include the sheriffs, prosecutors, county

clerks, and assessors.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Some urban counties elect a county

executive to operate like a mayor or

governor.

• County commission in some urban

counties appoint a county administrator to

administer county policies.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Townships – Found in 20 states.

• Assist with county services in rural areas,

but in New England they function like city

governments.

• Voters typically elect a township board, a

supervisor, and perhaps a very small

number of other executives. To Learning Objectives

LO 21.7


Local Governments

• Number and Types of Local Governments (cont.)

• Township officers oversee public highways and law enforcement, keep records of vital statistics and tax collections, and administer elections.

• Most lack power to pass local ordinances since they serve as administrative extensions of state and county governments.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Municipalities – Provide police and fire

protection, street maintenance, solid waste

collection, water and sewer works, park

and recreation services, and public

planning.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Some larger cities run public hospitals and

health programs, administer public welfare

services, operate public transit and utilities,

manage housing and urban development

programs, and even run universities.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Town meeting – A special form of direct

democracy under which all voting-age

adults in a community gather once a year

to make public policy.

• Town meeting is now used only in a few

villages in New England.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Mayor–Council Government – Local

residents elect a mayor and a city council.

• The two forms of Mayor–Council

Government are the Strong Mayor

Government and the Weak Mayor

Government.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Strong mayor cities – The city council

makes public policy and the mayor and city

bureaucrats who report to the mayor are

responsible for policy implementation.

• Strong mayors may also veto actions of the

city council.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Weak mayor cities – Most power is

vested in the city council, which directs the

activities of the city bureaucracy.

• Mayor serves as the presiding officer for

city council meetings and as the

ceremonial head of city government.


LO 21.7


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Council–Manager Government – The

voters elect a city council and sometimes a

mayor, who acts as both presiding officer

and voting member of the council.

• The council is responsible for setting policy

for the city.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• City Manager – An official appointed by

the city council who is responsible for

implementing and administering the

council’s actions.

• More than one third of U.S. cities use the

council–manager form of government.


LO 21.7


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Commission Government – Voters elect

city commissioners, each serves as both

legislator and executive.

• These officials make public policy just as

city council members do in the other two

forms of government.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Each city commissioner is over a functional

area of city government (for example,

public safety), and bureaucrats report to a

single commissioner.

• Only a few cities still use the commission

government.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• School Districts – Responsible for

educating children.

• 1,510 dependent public school systems

are operated by some cities, counties,

townships, and one state (Hawaii).

• 11,541 school districts are independent

local governments.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Consolidation of small districts into larger

ones is the major reason for 66% drop in

number of school districts from 1962-2007.

• Voters within a geographic area elect a

board of education to govern the

independent school district.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Independent school districts select

administrators and teachers, build and

operate schools, design and run education

programs, and raise the revenues to meet

a locally adopted school budget.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Special Districts – Provide only a single

service, such as flood control, waste

disposal, fire protection, public libraries, or

public parks.

• Some districts have elected policymaking

boards; a governor or mayor appoints

others.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Governments (cont.)

• Special districts are flexible because their

boundary lines can be drawn across

municipal, county, and township borders.

• They help localities realize economies and

efficiencies and can address problems that

cross political jurisdictions.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Competition

• Regional cooperation at local level is hard

to achieve because governing bodies in a

fragmented metropolis look at problems

from their own narrow perspective and fail

to cooperate with one another and plan

effectively for the region’s future needs.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Competition (cont.)

• Regional cooperation on specific policy

areas has been undertaken through

special districts.

• But there are limits to the number of

special districts that can be established

efficiently and the level of coordination

these districts can achieve.


LO 21.7


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Competition (cont.)

• Local governments are engaged to

compete for economic development to

expand their tax bases.

• Cities compete for businesses by offering

infrastructure development, tax reductions,

promises of subsidies, and services

demanded by businesses.


LO 21.7


Local Governments


Competition (cont.)

• Local governments cooperate to attract

employers to an area and to share

equipment and services.

• Council of Governments – Areas of the

country where officials from various

localities meet to discuss mutual problems

and plan joint, cooperative action.


LO 21.7

State and Local Finance Policy LO 21.8: Contrast state revenue and

expenditures with local revenue and

expenditures and outline ways state and

local governments have tried to increase

revenue.

• State Government Revenues and

Expenditures

• 4 main revenues – 40.1% Taxes; 23.6%

Intergovernmental Revenue (national

government grants); 20.7% State

Insurance Programs; and 14.4% Charges

and Fees for Services (state hospitals and

parks, and college courses). To Learning Objectives



State and Local Finance Policy

• State Government Revenues and

Expenditures

• 4 main expenditures – 27.7%

Intergovernmental Grants; 25.9% Health

and Social Services; 13.2% Insurance,

Utilities, and Liquor; and 13.1% Education.

• 50% of money is spent to operate state

programs and 28% of money goes to local

governments.

LO 21.8



LO 21.8


State and Local Finance Policy

• Local Government Revenues and Expenditures

• 4 main revenues – 34.4% Taxes; 33.9% Intergovernmental; 20.1% User Charges; and 7.9% Liquor and Utilities.

• 4 main expenditures – 37.8% Education; 12.5% Insurance, Utilities, and Liquor; 10.8% Health and Social Services; and 10.2% Public Safety.


LO 21.8


LO 21.8

Understanding State and Local

Governments LO 21.9: Assess the democratic elements

and problems of state and local

government.

• Democracy at the Subnational Level

• The Scope of Subnational

Government




Governments


• Local governments address policy

demands and states use direct primaries,

recalls, initiatives, and referendums.

• Local and state elections produce officials

far more demographically representative of

the U.S. population.

LO 21.9




Governments


(cont.)

• State and local politics are poorly covered

by the media and, as a result, are relatively

invisible to the public.

• 30%-35% of voters participate in statewide

elections and fewer than 20% in local

elections.


LO 21.9



Governments


(cont.)

• Local governments subsidize business

growth and economic development often at

the expense of redistribution services and

human resource needs.

• The workings of democracy are often

difficult to see in the judicial branch of

government.


LO 21.9



Governments


Government

• Growth has been driven by citizen demand

for more government services.

• Voters want government to provide them

with more and better programs to solve

problems.


LO 21.9



Governments


Government (cont.)

• To limit the scope of government school

district consolidation, reduced districts by

66%; sunset legislation controls growth by

eliminating unneeded programs; and the

Legislatures review the executive branch

regulations and rules to stop over

regulation.


LO 21.9



Governments


Government (cont.)

• Subnational governments provide more

services due to greater responsibilities

thrust on them by the national government

and the demands of their citizens.

• Subnational governments are stronger,

more effective, more extensive, and more

expensive.


LO 21.9


LO 21.1 Summary

• State Constitutions

• State constitutions vary a great deal in

terms of length and level of detail, as well

as in their provisions.

• For example, most Southern states have

relatively long and detailed constitutions

written following the Civil War.



LO 21.1 Summary

• State Constitutions (cont.)

• State constitutions can be amended

through several processes, but most often

a referendum vote by citizens is required.



Which of the following is NOT true of

state constitutions?

A. They include a bill of rights.

B. They tend to be much longer than the U.S. Constitution.

C. They take precedence over federal law.

D. They create executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

LO 21.1



Which of the following is NOT true of

state constitutions?

A. They include a bill of rights.

B. They tend to be much longer than the U.S. Constitution.

C. They take precedence over federal law.

D. They create executive, legislative, and judicial branches.


LO 21.1


LO 21.2 Summary

• State Elections

• Party competition has been on the rise

across the country for the last 20 years,

with a greater number of contested seats

and relatively close outcomes in general

elections.

• However, there are still many local and

state offices that are dominated by one

party.



LO 21.2 Summary

• State Elections (cont.)

• State governments have faced an

extended period of divided government,

where at least one legislative chamber is

controlled by one party and the other party

controls the other chamber or the

governorship.



Divided exists when a single

party does not control both chambers of the

state legislature and the governor’s office.

A. party

B. state

C. government

D. legislature

LO 21.2



Divided exists when a single

party does not control both chambers of the

state legislature and the governor’s office.

A. party

B. state

C. government

D. legislature


LO 21.2


LO 21.3 Summary


• Governors are expected to wear many

hats, but many have limited powers.

• Governors serve as the head of state, are

chief law enforcers, and are expected to

set policy priorities for state government.



LO 21.3 Summary


(cont.)

• In most states this means that the

governors play a significant role in the

budget process, can appoint individuals

within the executive branch, can veto

legislation, and can reorganize the

executive branch.



LO 21.3 Summary


(cont.)

• Governors’ formal powers, such as

budgetary and appointment powers, are

often less important for getting things done

than their informal powers, such as public

support and the strength of their party in

the state legislature.



Governors have the power to

A. appoint.

B. veto.

C. initiate the state budget process.

D. all of the above.

LO 21.3



Governors have the power to

A. appoint.

B. veto.

C. initiate the state budget process.



LO 21.3


LO 21.4 Summary

• State Legislatures

• State legislatures are the primary

mechanism for creating almost all the basic

laws of the state.

• They appropriate the money that is needed

for the state government to function.



LO 21.4 Summary

• State Legislatures (cont.)

• Legislatures are responsible for overseeing

the executive branch activities, including

confirming gubernatorial appointments.

• Legislatures have become considerably

more diverse with greater numbers of

women and racial and ethnic minorities.



Citizen legislators

A. closely interact with their

constituents throughout the year.

B. rely on an extensive legislative

staff.

C. are paid a generous annual salary.

D. work in the legislature nearly year-

round.

LO 21.4



Citizen legislators

A. closely interact with their

constituents throughout the year.

B. rely on an extensive legislative

staff.

C. are paid a generous annual salary.

D. work in the legislature nearly year-

round.


LO 21.4


LO 21.5 Summary

• State Court Systems

• Most state court systems are organized as

a hierarchy, with specialized trial courts at

the bottom, general trial courts next,

intermediate courts of appeal, and a

supreme court at the top.



LO 21.5 Summary

• State Court Systems (cont.)

• States use various selection methods for

judges, including appointment by the

governor or the legislature, partisan and

nonpartisan elections, and, in many states,

a combination of political appointment

followed by a retention election after a

period of service.



Which of the following methods is

used to select state judges?

A. Judges are appointed by governors

or legislatures.

B. Judges are elected by voters in

nonpartisan elections.

C. Judges are elected by voters in

partisan elections.

D. All of the above.

LO 21.5



Which of the following methods is

used to select state judges?

A. Judges are appointed by governors

or legislatures.

B. Judges are elected by voters in

nonpartisan elections.

C. Judges are elected by voters in

partisan elections.

D. All of the above.


LO 21.5


LO 21.6 Summary


• Direct democracy refers to direct citizen

control of the government and includes

initiatives and referenda as well as recall.

• Initiatives and referenda allow citizens to

make law (statutory or constitutional) at the

ballot box.



LO 21.6 Summary

• Direct Democracy (cont.)

• Because direct democracy relies on

majority rule, some observers express

concern that minority interests are not

protected in this process.



Which of the following is NOT one of

the three forms of direct democracy in

the United States?

A. discretion

B. initiative

C. referendum

D. recall

LO 21.6



Which of the following is NOT one of

the three forms of direct democracy in

the United States?

A. discretion

B. initiative

C. referendum

D. recall


LO 21.6


LO 21.7 Summary

• Local Governments

• According to Dillon’s rule, local

governments are creatures of the state and

have only the powers explicitly granted

them by the state.

• These powers are usually established by a

charter granted to a local government by a

state.



LO 21.7 Summary

• Local Governments (cont.)

• Local governments all exist to help govern

an area smaller than a state.

• Some, such as counties and municipalities,

exist to provide a broad array of services to

citizens.



LO 21.7 Summary

• Local Governments (cont.)

• School and special districts provide a

specific purpose, such as education or

drinking water.

• Many local governments have a board or

commission with legislative functions and

an executive to carry out the laws.

• Many cities appoint a manager to make

daily executive decisions.



All but which of the following are

basic types of local governments?

A. Counties

B. Mayor–Council Governments

C. Municipalities

D. School Districts

LO 21.7



All but which of the following are

basic types of local governments?

A. Counties

B. Mayor–Council Governments

C. Municipalities

D. School Districts


LO 21.7


LO 21.8 Summary

• State and Local Finance Policy

• Local governments rely more heavily than

states on intergovernmental transfers for

revenue.

• State governments rely more on a variety

of taxes, including income taxes.



LO 21.8 Summary

• State and Local Finance Policy (cont.)

• Most local government expenditures go to

education and health and social services.

• Most state expenditures are in fact

intergovernmental grants to local

governments.



LO 21.8 Summary

• State and Local Finance Policy (cont.)

• State and local governments have tried to

improve their revenue streams by adding

targeted sales taxes and user fees and by

legalizing various forms of gaming.



Which is the largest share of revenue

for states?

A. intergovernmental revenue

B. state insurance programs

C. traffic and parking tickets

D. taxes

LO 21.8



Which is the largest share of revenue

for states?

A. intergovernmental revenue

B. state insurance programs

C. traffic and parking tickets

D. taxes


LO 21.8


LO 21.9 Summary


Governments

• State and local governments offer

democratic governance with locally elected

representatives solving local problems.

• Local governments give citizens greater

access to policymaking and allow policy

experimentation on solving problems.



LO 21.9 Summary


Governments (cont.)

• Many local governments makes for a

confusing system that tends to receive little

attention from the media or voters,

threatening responsiveness in a

democracy.



LO 21.9 Summary


Governments (cont.)

• High degree of fragmentation and

competition between governments has

created a variety of governance problems

as state and local governments have

steadily grown and increased their

responsibilities.



The primary reason behind recent

patterns of growth in state and local

government is _______.

A. citizen demand for more

government services.

B. less national government spending.

C. less national government

employees.


LO 21.9



A. citizen demand for more

government services.

B. less national government spending.

C. less national government

employees.


The primary reason behind recent

patterns of growth in state and local

government is _______.


LO 21.9


Text Credits

• U.S. Bureau of the Census, “Local Governments and Public School

Systems by Type and State: 2007,” March 7, 2008,

http://www.census.gov/govs/www/cog2007.html.

• U.S. Bureau of the Census, “State and Local Government Finances,

2006,” February 17, 2010, http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/

cats/state_local_govt_finances_employmentstate_government

_finances.html

• Comparative Lottery Anaylsis: The Impact of Casinos on Lottery

Revenues and Total Gaming Revenues, 2004,

www.umassd.edu/cfpa/docs/casinolottery.pdf. Used with permission of

the Center for Policy Analysis.

• U.S. Bureau of the Census, “State and Local Government Finances,

2006.

http://www.census.gov/govs/www/cog2007

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/state_local_govt_finances_employmentstate_government_finances






Photo Credits

• 608: AP Photos

• 609T: Steven Starr/Stock Boston

• 609TC: AP Photos

• 609TB: Tim Pawlenty/Landov

• 610: Steven Starr/Stock Boston

• 613: AP Photo

• 616: Jeff Parker

• 620: AP Photos

• 622: Tim Pawlenty/Landov

• 623: Corbis Images

• 630: D. Youngblood/Southern Voice

• 638: Bryan Smith/Zuma Press

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