POLS 207 LIM EXAM 3 TAMU WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS
County Budget for Law Enforcement - ANSWER-50%
County Budget for Roads and Bridges - ANSWER-10-30%
County Budget for Health and Welfare - ANSWER-10%
In Texas, what is the agency that is the one to grant our welfare programs including
TANAF? - ANSWER-Health and Human Services
What are the 2 types of cities? - ANSWER-1. Home Rule Law Cities
2. General Law Cities
General Law - ANSWER-Texas has this city law for all cities
Home Rule Law - ANSWER-If the population is > 5,000 people, you can do this type of
law
You make your own statutes, laws, and regulations
County Government - ANSWER-Counties, the oldest form of local government in
America
-Enforce state laws
-Keep state records
-Collect taxes
-Conduct state elections
Board or Legislative body—in Texas, Commissioners Court
-Not a court of law
-Legislative body
Elected Executives: Sheriff, constable, county clerk, tax assessor, treasurer, county
attorney
Appointed Executives: individuals and boards, auditor, health officer, coroner, library
board
Public Participation in Politics, a Hierarchy of Influence (lowest to highest) - ANSWER-1.
Non Participants (Apart from Presidential Elections > 60%)
2. Vote for Elected Offices (Indirect Democracy 10-60% depending on type of election)
3. Initiative and Referendum (20-50% in western states)
, 4. Attend Public and Meetings 3-20%
5. Protestors (Uncertain)
6. Run for Office (Less than 1%)
Non Participants (Apart from Presidential Elections > 60%) - ANSWER-People who
don't participate in system, don't vote, don't run for office, etc.; no impact
What are the different types of municipal government? - ANSWER-1. Council Manager
50%
2. Mayor Council 41%
3. Town Meeting 6%
4. Commission 3%
What is the most frequent municipal government in Texas? - ANSWER-Council
Manager
Council Manager - ANSWER--Texas cities favor this form of city government and, in
fact, Dallas and San Antonio are two of the largest cities in the country using it
-An elected city council of 5 to 15 members appoints a city manager who is responsible
for hiring and firing department heads and for preparing the budget
-A mayor is elected at-large or by the council, but, except for presiding over the council,
has the same powers as the other council members
-Proponents have argued that it is the most efficient form of city government and that it
allows for some separation of politics and administration, but in reality politics and
administration cannot be separated completely
-Voters --> Council --> City Manager --> Hire police and fire chief
Mayor Council - ANSWER--Weak mayor-council form and Strong mayor-council form
-The terms "strong" and "weak" in this context refer to the formal powers given the
mayor by the city charter and do not address an individual mayor's ability to influence
local politics in informal ways
-Houston is the only ones that operate with mayor-council government
-In order to overcome problems associated with its status as an "unreformed" or
"political" model, some mayor-council cities (particularly larger ones) have an official
appointed by the mayor to tend to the internal business of the city while the mayor
attends to political matters.
-Many political scientists prefer this form of city government because it seems most
likely to provide the kind of leadership needed to deal with the problems of major urban
areas.
Town Meetings - ANSWER--Existed in the old New England states
-The voters elect office: fire and police chiefs
-Attend town meetings to make decisions
-Advantage: Very democratic because we get to make decisions
-Disadvantage: Time consuming
CORRECT SOLUTIONS
County Budget for Law Enforcement - ANSWER-50%
County Budget for Roads and Bridges - ANSWER-10-30%
County Budget for Health and Welfare - ANSWER-10%
In Texas, what is the agency that is the one to grant our welfare programs including
TANAF? - ANSWER-Health and Human Services
What are the 2 types of cities? - ANSWER-1. Home Rule Law Cities
2. General Law Cities
General Law - ANSWER-Texas has this city law for all cities
Home Rule Law - ANSWER-If the population is > 5,000 people, you can do this type of
law
You make your own statutes, laws, and regulations
County Government - ANSWER-Counties, the oldest form of local government in
America
-Enforce state laws
-Keep state records
-Collect taxes
-Conduct state elections
Board or Legislative body—in Texas, Commissioners Court
-Not a court of law
-Legislative body
Elected Executives: Sheriff, constable, county clerk, tax assessor, treasurer, county
attorney
Appointed Executives: individuals and boards, auditor, health officer, coroner, library
board
Public Participation in Politics, a Hierarchy of Influence (lowest to highest) - ANSWER-1.
Non Participants (Apart from Presidential Elections > 60%)
2. Vote for Elected Offices (Indirect Democracy 10-60% depending on type of election)
3. Initiative and Referendum (20-50% in western states)
, 4. Attend Public and Meetings 3-20%
5. Protestors (Uncertain)
6. Run for Office (Less than 1%)
Non Participants (Apart from Presidential Elections > 60%) - ANSWER-People who
don't participate in system, don't vote, don't run for office, etc.; no impact
What are the different types of municipal government? - ANSWER-1. Council Manager
50%
2. Mayor Council 41%
3. Town Meeting 6%
4. Commission 3%
What is the most frequent municipal government in Texas? - ANSWER-Council
Manager
Council Manager - ANSWER--Texas cities favor this form of city government and, in
fact, Dallas and San Antonio are two of the largest cities in the country using it
-An elected city council of 5 to 15 members appoints a city manager who is responsible
for hiring and firing department heads and for preparing the budget
-A mayor is elected at-large or by the council, but, except for presiding over the council,
has the same powers as the other council members
-Proponents have argued that it is the most efficient form of city government and that it
allows for some separation of politics and administration, but in reality politics and
administration cannot be separated completely
-Voters --> Council --> City Manager --> Hire police and fire chief
Mayor Council - ANSWER--Weak mayor-council form and Strong mayor-council form
-The terms "strong" and "weak" in this context refer to the formal powers given the
mayor by the city charter and do not address an individual mayor's ability to influence
local politics in informal ways
-Houston is the only ones that operate with mayor-council government
-In order to overcome problems associated with its status as an "unreformed" or
"political" model, some mayor-council cities (particularly larger ones) have an official
appointed by the mayor to tend to the internal business of the city while the mayor
attends to political matters.
-Many political scientists prefer this form of city government because it seems most
likely to provide the kind of leadership needed to deal with the problems of major urban
areas.
Town Meetings - ANSWER--Existed in the old New England states
-The voters elect office: fire and police chiefs
-Attend town meetings to make decisions
-Advantage: Very democratic because we get to make decisions
-Disadvantage: Time consuming
