POLS 207 State & Local Government - Local Governments

A set of flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to local governments, their structures, revenue, and expenditures, based on lecture notes.

Local Governments

Governmental units that administer local areas in the United States, including counties, municipalities, towns, and special districts.

Own-source revenue

Funds collected by local governments from their own activities, such as taxes, fees, and service charges, rather than from state or federal government sources.

Municipal Charter

An enabling document that outlines the powers and structure of a city government as authorized by the state.

General Law Charter

A type of municipal charter where a municipality can only exercise powers specifically granted by the state.

Home Rule Charter

A type of municipal charter that allows cities to govern themselves with powers not expressly forbidden by their charters.

County Government

The oldest form of local government in the U.S., providing direct services and administrative functions for state regulations.

Dual-purpose entities

Governments that serve two functions, such as providing local services while also administering state functions.

Mayor-Council government

A form of municipal government where a mayor is elected separately from the council, which can be either strong or weak.

Property Tax

A tax assessed on real estate property, which constitutes a significant portion of local government revenues.

Strong-mayor form

A type of mayor-council government where the mayor has significant powers and control over city functions, often found in larger cities.

Weak-mayor form

A type of mayor-council government where the mayor's powers are limited, often with a city manager handling most administrative functions.

Equity problem in county expenditures

The disparity in spending where more resources are allocated to rural residents compared to urban residents despite differing revenue sources.

Commissioners’ Court

The legislative body of county government in Texas, typically composed of elected representatives and a county judge.

Revenue sources for county governments

Common sources of income for counties, including property taxes, sales taxes, licenses and fees, and grants.

County Judge

An elected official who serves all executive duties in Texas counties and is part of the Commissioners' Court.

Population trends in local government

Analysis of how the number of local governments correlates with state populations over time.

Fiscal expenditures

The allocation of budgetary funds by local governments for various services such as education, public safety, and health.