This document summarizes key aspects of local governments in Texas. It discusses how local governments are limited by the state's antiquated constitution, which was designed for a rural environment. It also describes the different types of municipalities in Texas, including general-law cities and home-rule cities, and the various forms of municipal government like strong mayor-council, weak mayor-council, and council-manager. The document concludes by covering municipal politics, services, and revenue sources like taxes, fees, and bonds.
TANC: Roadmap to "Direct Democracy" Reform in AmericaMichael_A_Freeman
Overview presenation for TANC: Trans-American Alliance for a National Alliance **
Every American has a Constitutional Right to "Direct Democracy" -- Voting in "National Ballot Referendums" is Urgently Needed to Reform a Highly-Partisan, Dysfunctional, Divisive U.S. Government! ** Find out how an "Electorate Legislative Consortium," based on U.S. college campuses around the country, leads to "Legislative Reform By The People, For The People!" ** America Urgently Needs Domestic Socio-Economic REFORM and All Americans Hold the Keys to the Future -- not lobbyists and other Washington "influence peddlers." ** End Gov\'t Malfeasance and Insist on Long-Term Accountabiltiy Once the Trillion-Dollar Baillouts Have Been Doled Out to Corporate Banking/Financial Institutions, Insurance Companies and the U.S. Automakers.
The idea of blended learning—combining digital curricula and tools with face-to-face instruction—for elementary grades is becoming more popular, and educators are finding it works particularly well in mathematics. Our guests will provide successful approaches for implementing this technique, including resources, strategies, and examples of instruction, as well as tips for modeling blended learning in elementary grade math.
TANC: Roadmap to "Direct Democracy" Reform in AmericaMichael_A_Freeman
Overview presenation for TANC: Trans-American Alliance for a National Alliance **
Every American has a Constitutional Right to "Direct Democracy" -- Voting in "National Ballot Referendums" is Urgently Needed to Reform a Highly-Partisan, Dysfunctional, Divisive U.S. Government! ** Find out how an "Electorate Legislative Consortium," based on U.S. college campuses around the country, leads to "Legislative Reform By The People, For The People!" ** America Urgently Needs Domestic Socio-Economic REFORM and All Americans Hold the Keys to the Future -- not lobbyists and other Washington "influence peddlers." ** End Gov\'t Malfeasance and Insist on Long-Term Accountabiltiy Once the Trillion-Dollar Baillouts Have Been Doled Out to Corporate Banking/Financial Institutions, Insurance Companies and the U.S. Automakers.
The idea of blended learning—combining digital curricula and tools with face-to-face instruction—for elementary grades is becoming more popular, and educators are finding it works particularly well in mathematics. Our guests will provide successful approaches for implementing this technique, including resources, strategies, and examples of instruction, as well as tips for modeling blended learning in elementary grade math.
Schools and teachers want to develop partnership with parents. Strong communication is fundamental to this partnership. So, teachers must continue to develop and expand skills required to build a strong partnership.
Presentation Explains, that how organizations implement four functions of management in the organization. As KFC is well known name in fast foods as well as it is multinational organization. in this presentation me and my group members explores that how KFC use and implement four functions of management.
Useful for business, commerce, management sciences students.
California PoliticsAn Introduction with Suggested Online Resourc.docxhumphrieskalyn
California Politics
An Introduction with Suggested Online Resources
By George Gastil
Prologue
Consider the lives of these three people:
A single mother is raising two young children. One of them has a serious illness and needs medical treatment. Her job pays enough for her to feed her children and rent an apartment, but she does not have health insurance.
An 18-year old student graduates from high school. She is not sure what she wants to do for a living, but she is pretty sure it will involve a college education.
A young couple is looking for a home. They both recently got jobs in downtown San Diego, but they really want to live away from the big city.
These people all have something in common. Each of them is likely to benefit from decisions made by our state government.
The single mother might be eligible for health insurance programs that are funded largely by the state. Even without health insurance, she could bring her child to a county hospital emergency room.
The young student can attend any community college in the state for only $36/unit, just a tiny fraction of the real cost of her education. She also might be able to attend one of the campuses of the California State University or the University of California, where the tuition is higher but the state is still paying a large share of every student’s education.
The young couple will end up living in one of a variety of communities that have been developed according to state and local guidelines. If the community was well planned it will have schools, parks, a library, and other things people value. To get to work they will either drive on state funded roads or use state funded public transportation systems.
State government has a tremendous effect on our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. I think more people need to understand what our state government does and how we can work to make our state more effective. I hope you find this introduction helpful.
Overview of California Government and Politics
A. State government—legislative, executive and judicial.
B. Local government: cities, counties and regional governments.
C. School Boards, Colleges and Universities
D. Special Districts
E. State/Federal Relations
F. Public Policy Issues; Special Public Policy Focus on Education
G. Elections: Voters and Candidates
H. Interest Groups: Political Action and Lobbying
I. Political Philosophies
A. California’s State Government—legislative, executive and judicial
When people think of California’s government, they usually think of the three branches of statewide governance: the state legislature, the executive branch, and the state courts. Our state government actually includes many entities, such as counties, cities, school boards, and water districts. We also have regulatory agencies that are appointed rather than elected, such as the State Lands Commission and the California Environmental Protection Agency. All of these bodies ultimately get their po ...
Good Reasons Why a City Needs and Economic Development Authority in MinnesotaDan Schleck
Many Cities in Minnesota need an Economic Development Authority (EDA) or a Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and this presentation discusses some of the reasons why this is important.
An overview given in this presentation about the local Governance systems followed in many regions with main countries examples,
Although it can not be generalized to over all systems but these are major system followed with changes according to counties and regions creed,social norms and culture etc.
California PoliticsAn Introduction with Suggested Online Resourc.docxhacksoni
California Politics
An Introduction with Suggested Online Resources
By George Gastil
Prologue
Consider the lives of these three people:
A single mother is raising two young children. One of them has a serious illness and needs medical treatment. Her job pays enough for her to feed her children and rent an apartment, but she does not have health insurance.
An 18-year old student graduates from high school. She is not sure what she wants to do for a living, but she is pretty sure it will involve a college education.
A young couple is looking for a home. They both recently got jobs in downtown San Diego, but they really want to live away from the big city.
These people all have something in common. Each of them is likely to benefit from decisions made by our state government.
The single mother might be eligible for health insurance programs that are funded largely by the state. Even without health insurance, she could bring her child to a county hospital emergency room.
The young student can attend any community college in the state for only $36/unit, just a tiny fraction of the real cost of her education. She also might be able to attend one of the campuses of the California State University or the University of California, where the tuition is higher but the state is still paying a large share of every student’s education.
The young couple will end up living in one of a variety of communities that have been developed according to state and local guidelines. If the community was well planned it will have schools, parks, a library, and other things people value. To get to work they will either drive on state funded roads or use state funded public transportation systems.
State government has a tremendous effect on our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. I think more people need to understand what our state government does and how we can work to make our state more effective. I hope you find this introduction helpful.
Overview of California Government and Politics
A. State government—legislative, executive and judicial.
B. Local government: cities, counties and regional governments.
C. School Boards, Colleges and Universities
D. Special Districts
E. State/Federal Relations
F. Public Policy Issues; Special Public Policy Focus on Education
G. Elections: Voters and Candidates
H. Interest Groups: Political Action and Lobbying
I. Political Philosophies
A. California’s State Government—legislative, executive and judicial
When people think of California’s government, they usually think of the three branches of statewide governance: the state legislature, the executive branch, and the state courts. Our state government actually includes many entities, such as counties, cities, school boards, and water districts. We also have regulatory agencies that are appointed rather than elected, such as the State Lands Commission and the California Environmental Protection Agency. All of these bodies ultimately get their po.
These constitution-building primers
are intended to assist in-country
constitution-building or constitutionalreform
processes by: (i) helping
citizens, political parties, civil society
organizations, public officials and
members of constituent assemblies, to
make wise constitutional choices; and
(ii) helping staff of intergovernmental
organizations and other external
actors to give good, well-informed
and context-relevant support to local
decision-makers. The primers are
designed as an introduction for nonspecialist
readers, and as a convenient
aide-memoire for those with prior
knowledge or experience of constitutionbuilding.
Arranged thematically
around the practical choices faced by
constitution-builders, the primers aim
to explain complex issues in a quick and
easy way.
The services of local government legislators and customary court judges are often associated with
self-abnegation. However, most of these officials use their positions as money making ventures and material and
financial considerations have been the principal catalyst in the quest for such offices. It is because of these
recurrent occurrences in developing countries in general and Cameroon in particular that the study revisits the
situation in West Cameroon. It contends that most of these officials used their offices in amassing wealth as the
quest for increases in allowances and privileges became the common characteristic. Where these perceived
gains were not forthcoming, legislators and judges resorted to corrupt practices and their decisions/judgements
were often based on material and financial considerations. When some of them found it difficult to raise money
from services offered to their constituents, they simply abandoned their duties for personal businesses or juicy
opportunities elsewhere. The study concludes that legislation which warrants only selfless and dedicated
individuals to seek for these positions is needed. Again, it holds that local communities should be empowered to
sanction recalcitrant officials with little or no interference from central authorities. In this way, the engaging of
unpatriotic citizens in the management local government affairs will be checked.
PUA 6304, Local Government 1 Course Learning Outcomes.docxaryan532920
PUA 6304, Local Government 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit IV
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Identify the concept of local government service.
2. Examine the functions of local government.
Reading Assignment
State and Local Government:
Chapter 10:
Local Government: Types and Functions
Unit Lesson
Local governments have a long history in this country. As settlements began to develop there were common
or public needs that were identified. These local needs included the provision of potable water sources,
managing waste water, building roads and bridges and protective services like fire and police. Clearly, the
adoption of the services were aimed at providing local services. To identify and respond to these local needs
the US adopted a model that was far different than the central government model that was prevalent in
Europe. In particular, the US model of governance is based on two tiers in the Constitution (federal and state).
Local governments (which are not specifically identified in the Constitution) are under the jurisdiction of the
states and the state legislature.
As communities developed in the US the model included the use of regular, public gatherings of citizens to
consider the types of services and functions that the community was prepared to initiate. These "town hall"
meetings became a hallmark of American democracy in action. Over time, the increasing complexities in
development patterns required more formal structures and organizations to manage communities properly.
For a more detailed discussion of some of the current challenges and solutions related to local government,
see the National League of Cities (NLC) web site at http://www.nlc.org/. The NLC represents more than
19,000 towns and cities across the US.
Local Councils
On a practical basis, most communities have a physical Town Hall which serves as the operational center for
a local government. As we see in the readings, the role of the local government is to provide local services
that serve the best interest of a community from the perspective of both property related services and
services of benefit to the residents. Of course, this part of the system using locally elected officials is very
similar to that used in state legislatures and the federal system. The main difference is that local officials live
in the communities that they govern full time. Hence, they are more readily available to their friends,
neighbors, and citizens. In many cases, local officials are elected on a district or ward basis allowing them to
represent a specific sub-area of the community. Alternatively, we do see some communities where officials
may be elected at-large, representing the entire city.
Practically, decisions are made by locally-elected officials operating as boards or councils. The spokesperson
for local governments usually takes the role of mayor. Again, this is an elected positi ...
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
How to Split Bills in the Odoo 17 POS ModuleCeline George
Bills have a main role in point of sale procedure. It will help to track sales, handling payments and giving receipts to customers. Bill splitting also has an important role in POS. For example, If some friends come together for dinner and if they want to divide the bill then it is possible by POS bill splitting. This slide will show how to split bills in odoo 17 POS.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology:
Ethnobotany in herbal drug evaluation,
Impact of Ethnobotany in traditional medicine,
New development in herbals,
Bio-prospecting tools for drug discovery,
Role of Ethnopharmacology in drug evaluation,
Reverse Pharmacology.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
2. Local Politics in Context
Cities, counties, and special districts (the grassroots
governments) are limited in their effectiveness by the state’s
antiquated constitution, which was written for a rural
environment.
Local Governments and Federalism
Local governments are the units of government that actually
deliver the services thought necessary by most Texans for the
quality of their daily lives: drinking water, transportation, police
and fire protection, public education, and the like.
Local governments may receive part of their money from the
state or national governments, and they must obey the laws and
constitutions of both.
3. Local Politics in Context
Grassroots Challenges
Local governments are facing increasingly diverse challenges while
becoming increasingly diverse themselves.
Law Enforcement Issues
Controversies over public schools
Decaying infrastructures
Equal access to public services
Citizens have many opportunities to participate in local government,
but few actually take part.
Most citizens see local government as less important than national
government.
However, 80% of all Texans reside in cities and have immediate concerns
pertaining to local government
5. Municipal Governments
Whether taxing residents, arresting criminals, collecting
garbage, providing public libraries, or repairing streets,
municipalities determine how millions of Texans live.
Legal Status of Municipalities
The powers of municipal government are outlined and restricted
by municipal charters, state and national constitutions, and
statutes.
Local voters must decide the legal designation of their city.
6. Municipal Governments
Legal Status of Municipalities
General-Law Cities
A community with a population of 201 or more may become a general-
law city by adopting a charter prescribed by a general law enacted by
the Texas Legislature.
Limited to governmental structures and powers specifically granted by
state law and the Texas Legislature
May exercise powers only expressly granted to it
May acts as the ex-officio judge of the municipal court
Unless the municipality authorizes the election of a judge by ordinance
Cannot annex adjacent unincorporated areas without the property
owner’s consent
7. Municipal Governments
Legal Status of Municipalities
Home-Rule Cities
Cities with a population of greater than 5,000 may, by majority vote of
their residents, adopt, amend, or repeal a locally drafted charter.
Flexibility
Every home-rule city may determine its own form and powers of city
government, with more flexibility of taxing powers, as long as it does not violate
state laws or the constitution.
Management
Home-rule cities are better able to cope with their own particular problems.
Home-rule cities may exercise three powers not held by the state government:
recall, initiative, and referendum.
Can also set procedures for passing and repealing ordinances
Can annex adjacent unincorporated property without consent
Must provide essential services for at least 3 years
8. Municipal Governments
Forms of Municipal Government
Strong Mayor-Council
This form of municipal government provides for a centralized
authority to manage the complex problems of urban areas.
An elected legislative body (council) and an executive head (mayor) are
elected in a citywide election with veto, appointment, and removal
powers
Most of the nation’s largest cities use this form of local
government.
However, only Houston and El Paso, among Texas’s largest
cities, have adopted variations of it.
9. Municipal Governments
Forms of Municipal Government
Strong Mayor-Council
Characteristics of cities operating under this form
Council composed of members elected from single-member districts
Mayor elected at large, with power to appoint or remove department
heads
Budgetary power exercised by the mayor, subject to council approval
before the budget may be implemented
A mayor with the power to veto council actions
11. Municipal Governments
Forms of Municipal Government
Weak Mayor-Council
In this system, the mayor is one of several city executives
responsible to the electorate.
Mayor and council are elected separately, but the mayor shares appointive
and removal powers with the council, which can override the mayor’s veto
None of the ten largest cities in Texas uses this form of municipal
government.
Once popular in smaller communities throughout the nation, it is now
being abandoned because of the diffuse executive structure.
Conroe (Pop. 55,000) still uses this form
The more power centers there are, the more difficult problem solving
becomes.
12. Municipal Governments
Forms of Municipal Government
Council-Manager
This form of municipal government has become the most popular
among home-rule cities in Texas since it appeared in 1913.
Over 300 use this form today
The form prevails in the majority of Texas’s home-rule cities.
The council appoints a city manager to be responsible for budget
coordination, policy implementation, and managing the city’s
departments.
A separately elected mayor who presides over the council but
has no other powers may be a part of the structure.
Similar to a mayor in the Weak Mayor-Council form
13. Municipal Governments
Forms of Municipal Government
Council-Manager
In theory, the form attempts to separate policymaking from
administration
Council and mayor concern themselves with policymaking
The city manager concerns him/herself with administration and day-to-
day issues
Issues
Grey area in defining the line between policymaking and administration
Lack of a leader whom citizens can bring concerns
Mayor is weak, council is numerous, and the city manager is supposed to “stay
out of politics”
Typically, this form responds well to the elite and middle-class
15. Municipal Governments
Forms of Municipal Government
Commission
This form of municipal government lacks a chief executive, as
each commissioner has administrative responsibility over a
specific department.
Ex. Public Safety, Finance, Public Works, Welfare, Legal, etc.)
No Texas home-rule city currently has a pure commission form of
government, though a few general-law towns and villages have
variations on this structure.
16. Municipal Governments
Municipal Politics
Although municipal elections in Texas are nonpartisan,
politics is not eliminated from local government.
Rules Make a Difference
All city and special district elections are nonpartisan in Texas.
However, party politics is again becoming important in some city
elections.
More and more Texas cities are changing from an at-large or place
system to single-member district elections or cumulative voting.
17. Municipal Governments
Municipal Services
In the eyes of most citizens and city officials, the major job of city
government is to provide basic services that affect people’s day-
to-day lives:
police and fire protection, streets, water, sewer and sanitation, and
perhaps parks and recreation.
Municipalities also regulate important aspects of our lives,
notably zoning, construction, food service, and sanitation.
18. Municipal Governments
Municipal Government Revenue
Taxes
Cities are limited to raising funds from three tax sources:
property, occupation, and sales.
The two largest tax sources in Texas —sales and property
taxes—are limited by state law.
1 percent sales tax (collected with the state sales tax)
Cities also receive a share of some state-collected taxes.
Cities may implement a half-cent surtax on sales for a designated
function by approval of a majority of the voters.
19. Municipal Governments
Municipal Government Revenue
Fees
Cities may collect a franchise fee from various privately owned public
utilities, fees for issuing certain licenses and permits, and fees for
services provided.
TABC municipality fees, building permits, franchise fees (based on gross
receipts from telephone and cable TV companies)
Operation of electric, water, and gas utilties
Bonds
Money for capital improvements (such as construction of city
buildings or parks) and emergencies (such as flood or hurricane
damage) often must be obtained through the sale of bonds.
The Texas Constitution allows cities to issue bonds, but any bond
issue to be repaid from taxes must be approved by the voters.
20. Check my SlideShare page
(rfair07) for more lectures
Lectures posted for:
United States History before 1877 / after 1877
Texas History
United States (Federal) Government / Texas Government
Slide 20 of 42
To download a full copy of this PowerPoint presentation,
please go to: https://gumroad.com/l/Gxhv
If you would like a copy of all the Texas Government lectures
posted in PDF format, please check out
at:https://gumroad.com/l/GXhg