1. “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” James Madison

2. Chapter 3: Local Governments

3. Forms of Local Governments
Municipalities –
1,200 city and town governments
Counties –
254 Counties
Special Districts –
Over 3,000 special districts

4. Local Governments and Federalism
Dillon’s Rule:
Local governments have only the powers granted by the state government, whose powers implied in the state grant, and those powers indispensable to their functioning.
Cities, counties, and special districts are created through state laws and the Texas Constitution, and they make decisions permitted or required by the state.
Local governments face mandates from both the national and state government.
Some of these mandates are funded by the higher lever of government and some are not.

5. Grassroots Challenges
Concerns for Local Governments
Crime
Infrastructure
Public School Controversies
Terrorism Threats
Ensuring that all communities receive equal access to public services
Voter Apathy
Most grassroots problems can be addressed through the democratic process.

6. Municipal Governments
Legal Status of Municipalities
General Law Cities –
Cities with a population of 201 or more
Adopting a charter
Home-Rule Cities –
Population of 5,000 or more
May be Incorporated
Locally drafted charter that is adopted, amended, or repealed by majority vote in a citywide election

7. Home Rule Cities Advantages
Greater flexibility in determining how they operate
Citizens adopt, draft, and revise their city’s charter through citywide elections
3 Powers
Recall – process for removal of elected officials through popular vote
Initiative – citizen-drafted measure proposed by a specific number or percentage of qualified voters. If approved by popular vote, and initiative becomes law without city council approval.
Referendum – approves or repeals an existing ordinance

8. Forms of Municipal Government
Strong mayor-council
Weak mayor-council
Council-Manager
Commission

9. Strong Mayor-Council
A type of municipal government with a separately elected legislative body (council) and an executive head (mayor) in a city-wide election with veto, appointment, and removal powers.
Council elected by single-member districts
Mayor elected at large
Budgetary power exercised by the mayor, subject to council approval before the budget is implemented
A mayor with the power to veto council actions

10. Houston City Council Sylvester Turner, Mayor Chris Brown, Controller

11. Houston City Council
The City Council is the City's legislative body, with the power to enact and enforce all ordinances and resolutions. Eleven Council Members are elected from districts and five are elected at-large, by all voters of the City.
The sixteen members of Council, along with the Mayor, act only by ordinance, resolution or motion. They adopt and may alter the annual budget and confirm the Mayor's appointments. Council is responsible for the appropriation and issuance of bonds, the awarding of contracts and the approval of City expenditures over $50,000. Council may lease or dispose of the City's real estate and may levy assessments against property. Council determines its own rules of procedure, and its meetings are open to the public.
Sixteen Council Members are elected every four years, in odd-numbered years. Council Members are limited to serving two terms of four years each, with each term beginning on January 1 of the even-numbered year. Five Council Members are elected At-Large, or city-wide, while the other eleven are elected to geographic districts of roughly the same proportion of population.
City Council Members

12. Weak Mayor-Council
Separately elected mayor and council, but the mayor shares appointive and removal powers with the council, which can override the mayor’s veto.

13. Council-Manager Form
An elected city council hires a manager to coordinate budgetary matters and supervise administrative departments.
Makes decisions after debate on policy issues (i.e. taxes, budgets, annexation, services, etc.)
Managers prepare annual budgets and policy recommendations
Appoints department for implementation
City Councils usually hire professionally trained managers.

14. Commission
Each elected commissioner is a member of the city’s policymaking body, but also heads an administrative department.

15. Municipal Politics
All city and special district elections in Texas are nonpartisan elections.
Results in low voter turnout
Voters vote for personalities, not issues
Redistricting
Occurs after every 10-year census
All city’s council districts MUST have approximately the same population, and any changes in Texas must be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice.

16. Council Elections At-Large Elections Single-Member District Elections
City-wide
Single-Member District Elections
Area-wide
Challenges
Represented Anglo population and underrepresented ethnic minorities
Cumulative Voting
Voters cast one or more of the specified number of votes for one or more candidates in any combination.
Term Limits

17. Socio-Economic Changes
Growth in the population’s size, amount of citizen organization, and income increases the demands on local government and produces higher spending.

18. Municipal Services Major Responsibilities Zoning Police Fire Street
Water
Sanitation
Parks & Recreation
Zoning
311 Website
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Projects

19. Municipal Government Revenue
Taxes
Property Tax
Amount of tax/$100 of the property value
Sales Tax
1.25 – 2 percent
Fees
Water
Sewer
Sanitation
Recreation Facilities

20. Taxes

21. Municipal Government Revenue
Bonds
Borrowing Money
Any bond that will be repaid using taxes must be approved by voters.
Property Taxes and Exemptions
Homestead Exemptions
Home owners
Disabled veterans
Homeowners 65 year of age and older
20% on the assessed value of the home

22. Alternative Methods to Increase Revenue
Create new fees or raise fees on services
Impose hiring and wage freezes for municipal employees
Cute services
Contract with private firms for service delivery
Improve productivity

23. Homestead Exemptions

24. TIRZ Tax Reinvestment Zone –
An area in which municipal tax incentives are offered to encourage businesses to locate in and contribute to the development of a blighted urban area.
Commercial and residential property taxes may be frozen.

26. Counties Elections Partisan Elections 4 Year Terms
4 County Commissioners
County and District Attorneys
County Sheriffs
County Clerk
District Clerk
County Tax Assessor-Collector
County Treasurer
Constables
Partisan Elections
4 Year Terms

27. Commissioners Court A Texas county’s policymaking body, with 5 members
County Judge
4 single-member precincts
Duties
Administrative and legislative duties

28. Harris County