Local Government: Their Structures, Politics, and Challenges

Counties Origin Purpose Functions

Counties Organization Legislative Officials County Commissioners Court Executive Officials Commissioners’ Court Ad valorem County Commissioners County Judge

Counties Law Enforcement Officers Financial Officers Clerical Officers Sheriff Constables Financial Officers County-Tax Assessor Ad valorem Treasurer auditor Clerical Officers County Clerk District Clerk

Counties Legal Officers Miscellaneous Executive Officers County Attorney District Attorney Miscellaneous Executive Officers Surveyor Weigher Inspectors Judicial Officers Justice of the Peace County judge County court-at-law judges Reform

Cities Development of Cities Legal Status Incorporation Annexation Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)

Table 8.1 – Area of Cities’ Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Population of City ETJ Beyond Its City Limits Less than 5,000 ½ Mile 5,000-25,000 1 Mile 25,000-50,000 2 Miles 50,000-100,000 3 ½ Miles Over 100,000 5 Miles

Cities Structure General-Law Cities Aldermanic form Wards At-large Commission form

Cities Home-Rule Cities Mayor-Council Form Commission Form Strong-Mayor Form Weak-Mayor Type Commission Form Council-Manager Form Mayor-Manager Form

Figure 8.2a – Strong-Mayor Council Type LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE Mayor Council Elected At-Large Elected by Wards or Precincts Appointed

Figure 8.2b – Weak-Mayor Council Type LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE Mayor Council Department Heads

Figure 8.3 – The Commission Form LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE Commissioner Commissioner Department Heads Commissioner Commission Commissioner Commissioner Elected At-Large

Figure 8.4 – The Council-Manager Form EXECUTIVE LEGISLATIVE Manager Council Department Heads Elected At-Large Elected by Wards or Precincts Appointed

Figure 8.5 – The Mayor-Manager Form LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE Mayor Manager Council Department Heads Elected At-Large Elected by Wards or Precincts Appointed

Cities Evaluating City Government and Politics Separation of Powers Leadership Responsibility Efficiency and Responsiveness

Cities Municipal Elections Nonpartisan Elections At-large elections District Elections

Special Districts Limited Purpose Special Purpose Independent School Districts Other Special School Districts Purpose Origins Structure Evaluating School Districts

COGs Councils of Governments Conclusion

APPENDIX: Figure 1 – Texas Net Tax Collections by Source, Estimated for 2003 (in millions of dollars)

APPENDIX: Figure 2 – State Appropriations by Function – 2002-2003 Biennium