Question 1

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 nineteenth century, making them too old-fashioned.
C)   They have not been given adequate lawmaking powers by the legislature.
D)   Too often the county seats cannot be reached in a day's drive.
E)   Many of them are far too powerful, making city governments seem less important.F) A) and B)
G) D) and E)

Question 2

What are the main sources of revenue for special districts in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)   property taxes and user fees
B)   income taxes and user fees
C)   income taxes and sales taxes
D)   sales taxes and property taxes
E)   property taxes and federal grantsF) D) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 3

Each county in Texas is required by the state constitution to have approximately the same number of residents.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Flood control is managed through special districts because

Accepted Answer

A)   flooding is seldom contained in a single city or county.
B)   the Texas constitution forbids both cities and the state from spending money on flood prevention.
C)   the Galveston hurricane of 1900 revealed the inefficiency and slowness of state government in responding to local disasters.
D)   most cities do not have the infrastructure to handle large flooding.
E)   most waterways in Texas are managed by special districts.F) A) and B)
G) B) and E)

Question 5

Which of the following is not a function of county government in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)   supervising road and bridge maintenance
B)   administering water districts
C)   setting a county's tax rates
D)   maintaining the county jail
E)   county law enforcementF) D) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 6

Which of the following statements about the commissioner form of government is false?

Accepted Answer

A)   Commissioners are generally elected on an at-large basis.
B)   The commissioner form of government does not have separately elected mayors.
C)   The commissioner form of government was designed to bring good business practices into local government.
D)   The commissioner form of government is currently popular among the largest cities in Texas.
E)   In the commissioner form of government, the commission acts in both a legislative and executive capacity.F) A) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 7

The chief executive officer of each county in Texas is the sheriff.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Special districts are funded through sales taxes.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

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, over one hundred cities in Texas today use the commissioner style.
D)   Commissioner systems have never been used in Texas.
E)   About half the cities in Texas use a pure commissioner form of government.F) C) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 10

What is the main difference between a special district and a county?

Accepted Answer

A)   A special district provides only one specific service within a geographic region.
B)   A county is formed in terms of population density, while a special district is created geographically.
C)   Special districts are controlled by incorporated cities, unlike county government.
D)   Special districts are created by municipalities, while counties are created by the state.
E)   There are no major differences.F) B) and E)
G) C) and E)

Question 11

Which of the following is the most common form of local government in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)   county government
B)   municipal government
C)   special districts
D)   city government
E)   state governmentF) A) and B)
G) All of the above

Question 12

All county officials in Texas are appointed by the governor and serve two-year terms.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

In Texas, who creates special districts?

Accepted Answer

A)   the Texas legislature
B)   the governor
C)   Texas voters in the areas that will be covered
D)   the county commissioners' court, with local voter approval
E)   city councilsF) A) and B)
G) C) and E)

Question 14

Commissioner forms of government were at their height of popularity

Accepted Answer

A)   in 1882, at the height of the Grange movement.
B)   in 1918, during the Progressive era.
C)   in 1936, during the New Deal.
D)   in 1978, as a result of the economic recession.
E)   in the 2000s, as hurricanes became more frequent.F) All of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 15

In the case Avery v. Midland County, the U.S. Supreme Court held that

Accepted Answer

A)   special districts had to be approved by the voters.
B)   educational spending levels had to be roughly the same throughout the state.
C)   the principle of "one person, one vote" applied to county commissioners' courts.
D)   the practice of hanging was in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
E)   some county governments in Texas were far too big, making them extremely powerful.F) A) and C)
G) A) and E)

Question 16

The mayor-council form of government is most common in

Accepted Answer

A)   smaller general-law cities.
B)   large metropolitan cities.
C)   newer, high-growth "exurbs."
D)   north Texas cities.
E)   south Texas cities.F) B) and D)
G) A) and C)

Question 17

One of the problems with Texas government is that there are no regional councils that promote coordinated planning across local governments.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Which of the following is not a key difference between the mayor-council and the council-manager forms of local government?

Accepted Answer

A)   The council-manager style was meant to reduce the possibility of corruption that the mayor-council system may bring.
B)   The council-manager system is the most popular form of government throughout the United States for cities with over 10,000 residents.
C)   In the council-manager system, the chief executive is a city manager, not a mayor.
D)   In the council-manager system, local politics is viewed as a full-time job, unlike in the mayor-council system.
E)   In the council-manager system, local politics is viewed as a part-time job, unlike in the mayor-council system.F) None of the above
G) All of the above

Question 19

County governments are most important for administering rural areas throughout Texas.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 26: Local Government in Texas

Which of the following is not a function of county government in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Flood control is managed through special districts because

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Which of the following is not a key difference between the mayor-council and the council-manager forms of local government?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The mayor-council form of government is most common in

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What are the main sources of revenue for special districts in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is the most common form of local government in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The chief executive officer of each county in Texas is the sheriff.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

All county officials in Texas are appointed by the governor and serve two-year terms.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In Texas, who creates special districts?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the main difference between a special district and a county?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the case Avery v. Midland County, the U.S. Supreme Court held that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is a key problem with counties in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

One of the problems with Texas government is that there are no regional councils that promote coordinated planning across local governments.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Each county in Texas is required by the state constitution to have approximately the same number of residents.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

County governments are most important for administering rural areas throughout Texas.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Special districts are funded through sales taxes.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements about the commissioner form of government is false?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

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Commissioner forms of government were at their height of popularity

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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