1. Local Government: Their Structures, Politics, and Challenges

2. Counties
Origin
Purpose
Functions

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

4. 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

5. 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

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

7. 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
3 ½ Miles
Over 100,000
5 Miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16. Cities Municipal Elections Nonpartisan Elections At-large elections
District Elections

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

18. COGs
Councils of Governments
Conclusion

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

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