Texas Government Chapter 10

Local government institutions play a major role in Texas.
- Over 5,300 general-purpose local governments.
- 254 counties (the most in any state).
County governments are mainly responsible for rural governance, with restricted powers.
- Generally lack legislative powers and act as an administrative arm of the state.

The county commissioners’ court serves as the main governing body:
- Composed of a county judge and four county commissioners.
- Sets tax rates and county budgets covering areas such as roads, maintenance of jails, and health care.

Composition:
- County Judge (elected countywide with judicial-administrative functions).
- Four County Commissioners (each elected from different precincts).

County governments are:
- Important, necessary, and complex.
- Vary in size from small to large and can be expensive.

Local issues, including pothole repairs, often dominate local politics.
- These mundane issues resonate more strongly with residents, driving local electoral discussions.

General-Law Cities:
- Cities/towns with populations under 5,000.
- Governed by state statutes; limited by constitutional restrictions, such as maximum property tax rates.
Home-Rule Cities:
- Enabled by the Home-Rule Charter Amendments of 1912 for cities with populations over 5,000.
- Allow cities to adopt their own rules, including the power to set property tax rates and annex land.
- Operate more independently compared to general-law cities.

Statistics:
- Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and others listed with their population, form of government, first charter adopted, and present form adopted.

The state can override local ordinances through preemption, impacting local governance on issues like environmental regulations and ride-hailing services.

Home-Rule Cities:
- Three major forms:
  1. Mayor-Council:
    - Mayor as chief executive; council as legislative body. (Can be strong or weak)
  2. Commissioner: No Longer Used
    - City governed by elected commissioners acting in both legislative and executive roles.
  3. Council-Manager: Most popular form of government
    - Policies set by the city council; executive functions managed by a professional city manager.

Houston:
- Strong mayor-council system with 18 elected officials.
San Antonio:
- Council-manager government structure; city manager oversees departments and has an extensive budget.
Dallas:
- Weak mayor with a council elected from single-member districts.
Austin:
- City features a mayor and council elected from single-member districts.

Defined as units of government providing single services in specific geographic areas.
- Number of special districts grew significantly from 491 in 1952 to over 2,600 in 2012.
Common types include:
- School districts and nonschool special districts (e.g., utility, economic development).

Every area in Texas belongs to a school district, overseen by an elected board of trustees.
- Responsibilities include budgeting and setting policies such as tax rates and school calendars.

Numerous types exist, such as:
- Municipal utility districts, community college districts, etc.

Creation requires a resident petition and election results must favor establishment.
Primarily funded through property taxes and user fees.

Issues include lack of awareness among residents, low electoral participation, and potential for abuse.

Established to improve coordination among local governments.
- 24 regional COGs active in Texas today.

Local governance significantly impacts citizens' daily lives compared to state or federal levels.
- Conflicting demands for efficiency versus democratic responsiveness.
- Financial vulnerabilities include pension systems and borrowing methods.