Govt Unit 4

county attorney

county official who prosecutes lesser criminal cases in the county court

district attorney

public official who prosecutors the more serious criminal cases in the district court

county clerk

public official who is the main record keeper of the county

district clerk

public official who is the main record keeper of district court documents

county tax assessor collector

public official who maintains the county tax records and collects the taxes owed to the county

county auditor

public official, appointed by the district judges, who receives and disburses county funds, large counties, this official also prepares the county budget

county commissioners court

the main governing body of each country, has the authority to set the country tax rate and budget

county judge

presides over the constitutional county court and county commissioners court, with responsibility for the administration of county government

county commissioner

government official on county commissioners court whose main duty is the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges

home rule charter

rules under which a city operates, local govt have considerable independent governing power under these charters

preemption

legislature’s power to overrule ordinances or actions of local home rule cities

mayor council form of government

mayor is chief executive and city council is legislative body

at large election

officials are selected by voters of the entire geographical area rather than from smaller districts within that area

single member district

electorate that elects only one representative for each district

commissioner form of government

city govt in which city is run by a small group of elected commissioners who act in both legislative and executive capacities

council manager form of government

form of city gov where public policies are developed by the city council and executive and administrative functions are assigned to a professional city manager

special purpose district

unit of local government that performs a single service such as education or sanitation within a limited geographic area

municipal utility district

special district that offers services such as electricity, water, sewage, sanitation outside the city limits

property tax

based on assessment of the vlaue one one’s property

user fee

fee paid for public goods and services, such as water or sewage service

hidden govrnment

special purpose districts of which many citizens are unaware

council of govt

regional planning board composed of local elected officials and some private citizens from the region

capital appreciation bond

long term, high interest paying bond that pays off both principal and interesting one lump sum when the bond reaches maturity

deferred retirement option plan

local govt employees are eligible to have their benefits deposited in an account in which benefits draw interest until actual retirement

general revenue funds

nondedicated revenue account that functions as the state’s primary operating fund

general revenue - dedicated funds

budget composed of funds for dedicates revenues that target money for specific purposes

federal funds

includes all grants, payments, and reimbursements received from the federal government state agencies and institutions

other funds

funds flowing into state treasury not included in other state budgets including Texas highway fund, trust funds operated by the state, and certain revenues held for local higher education accounts

all funds

aggregate of all these ways of financing government, refers to revenue that goes through agencies including federal and state programs

progressive tax

the tax burden falls more heavily on upper income individuals

regressive tax

tax burden falls more heavily on lower income induviduals

permanent school fund

fund created in 1854 providing money to primary and secondary schools

available school fund

dedicated fund established by the constitution for the support of public education in the sate

state highway fund

construction, maintence, policy of roadways and acquire rights of way, funded by motor vehicle registration fees, federal highway fund, and sales tax on motor lubricants