Section 1- Local Government

Precincts – county subdivisions.

Commissioners’ Court – panel of elected commissioners that governs a county in Texas.

Mayor-Council Government – municipal government in which voters elect a mayor and a city council to directly run the government.

Council-Manager Government – municipal government in which voters elect a mayor and a city council that decide the city’s policies; council chooses a city manager to carry out the policies and handle day-to-day business.

Commission plan – plan of government in which a panel of elected commissioners is in charge of city services.

Home-rule charters – charters that allow Texas citizens of town of more than 5000 people to choose their form of government.

General-law cities – small towns or cities that operate under the general laws of the state of Texas

Special districts – type of local government that is formed for a special purpose, often handling services not provided by other local governments.

• Local Governments provide:• Police protection• Roads• Water

State has 254 counties, each with a government Counties are divided into 4 precincts Each precinct elects a county commissioner Each county elects a county judge▪ These make up the commissioners’ court

and they serve 4 year terms.

• Commissioners’ Court –• Prepare county budget• Address local issues• Sets county property tax rate• Property taxes are a major source of revenue for

counties.

• Do not handle legal cases.

• Other County Officials• County Sheriff – runs the county jail• County attorney – advises officials and

prosecutes misdemeanor criminal cases.• Justice of the Peace – hears minor

criminal cases and civil cases.• County Clerk – keeps records of the

commissioners’ court and keeps deed records of all land in the county.

• Other County Officials• County Treasurer – receives and pays

out of county funds• County Tax Assessor – makes sure taxes

are collected and issue vehicle titles.

More than 85% of Texans live in urban areas run by municipal governments.

Mayor-council government Voters elect a mayor and city council

Council-manager government Voters elect a mayor and city council City managers are chosen to carry out policies made by the

elected officials and handle the city’s day-to-day business.

Commission Plan, known also as Galveston Plan, was developed in 1901. Voters elect five to seven commissioners to serve as

a city council. Each commissioner supervises a city department.

Over time, this plan did not work. There are no true commission governments in Texas today.

Two types of municipalities in Texas Home-rule Charters - cities with populations of more

than 5,000. ▪ Cities draft and adopt charters within guidelines set by the

state.▪ Pass ordinances, or local laws.

Most small cities are known as General-Law cities. They operate under general laws of the state.

City Government raise revenue from bonds and from property and sales tax.

Government uses this money to provide services such as police, fire, garbage collection, and utilities.

Many cities have parks, swimming pools, and sport leagues for recreation.

Special Districts – school districts are the most numerous form of local government in the state.

Districts are formed for a purpose. Lower Colorado River Authority Hospital Districts Transportation Districts

Forms of Municipal GovernmentForms of Municipal Government

Council-Manager Mayor-Council Commission

People PeoplePeople

ManagerCouncil

MayorMayor

MunicipalDepartments

Council

MunicipalDepartments

Council, chooses Mayor

Each member is head of a Municipal

Departments

electselects elects

electsselects