Why It MattersGovernment services such as education, law enforcement, street maintenance,

and public health are usually provided by local units of government such as

cities, counties, and school boards.

The Impact TodayAlthough counties were established when Texas was mainly a rural state, county

governments have adapted to meet the new problems and challenges of urban Texas.

Cities, too, have developed different ways to organize themselves to ensure the highest

level of service for their citizens. Governments at every level work best when citizens

keep informed and get involved.

654 CHAPTER 30 Local Government

19631923

1923

• Equal Rights Amendment first proposed

1929

★ League of United Latin American Citizens founded

1947

★ Houston adopted strong mayor-council

city government

LocalGovernment

1947

1945

• United Nations organization formed

1963

• Martin Luther King, Jr.,organized March

on Washington

655CHAPTER 30 Local Government

Responsibilities of. . .

Responsibilities of. . .

Both CitizensLocalGovernment

Both CitizensLocalGovernment

12

Fold it so the leftedge lays about inch from the

right edge.

Step 1 Fold a sheet of paper in half from sideto side.

Step 2 Turn the paper and fold it into thirds.

Step 3 Unfold your foldable and label it asshown.

Step 4 Cut the top layer only along both folds.

This will makethree tabs.

Compare-Contrast Study Foldable Make thisfoldable to help you organize what you learnabout local governments in Texas and citizenparticipation in government.

Reading and Writing As you read the chapter,use your foldable Venn diagram to write informa-tion on types of local government and ways inwhich citizens can be involved in them. Under the“Both” tab, explain the responsibilities citizenshave to their local governments and the respon-sibilities local governments have to their citizens.

Houston, Texas’s largest city, boasts a strong mayor-council city

government and an impressive skyline.

TEXASHISTORY

Chapter Overview

Visit the texans.glencoe.comWeb site and click onChapter 30—Chapter

Overviews to previewchapter information.

2001

★ Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum opened in Austin

1982

• Equal Rights Amendment defeated

1989

• Chinese students protested at Tiananmen Square

1994

• Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa

1989 1995 20021982

656 CHAPTER 30 Local Government

Dallas becomes a council-manager city government

Houston adopts a strong-mayor-councilform of city government

Types of LocalGovernment

Guide to Reading

Main Idea

Local government affects everyday lifein neighborhoods and cities.

Key Terms

general-law city, home-rule city,

mayor-council, ordinance,

council-manager, commission,

appraise, commissioners court,

precinct, real estate

Reading Strategy

Organizing Information Complete achart like the one shown here. Fill inthree of the services provided by eachtype of local government.

Read to Learn

• about the different types of local governments.

• about county officials. • about special districts.

Section Theme

Government and Democracy Typesof local government include countygovernment, city government, andspecial government districts.

Sweetwater incorporatesas a commission city

Preview of Events

San Antonio becomesa council-managercity government

After two years working for the Yorktown school district in Dewitt County

and hearing co-workers’ complaints, Marcus Puente decided to take action.

With three seats on the school board up for election, Puente threw his hat in

the ring. He was one of six candidates. A 2000 honors graduate at Yorktown

High School, Puente had no political experience. With help from friends and

family, he hit the campaign trail. “People started listening to me because

nobody else really knew how everybody in the community felt,” he said.

✦1901 ✦1931 ✦1947

Local Governments at Work

Local government affects people on a day-to-day basis. Services providedby local government include police protection, garbage collection, water andsewer services, education, and fire protection. If your house is on fire, you

✦1951

Marcus Puente

County City SpecialGovernment Government Government

Districts

call your local fire department, not someone inWashington, D.C. When garbage is not picked up,local government is responsible for restoring serv-ice. There are three basic types of local govern-ments in Texas—city, county, and special districts.

Two Kinds of City Government

Some cities and towns are called municipali-ties. If a city government incorporates by citizenrequest, it is considered a municipal govern-ment. Cities in Texas operate under one of twotypes of law—general law or home rule. Smallcities with populations of less than 5,000 mayincorporate as a general-law city. As of 2002,there were nearly 1,000 general-law cities inTexas. These cities function under the generallaws of Texas and often provide basic servicessuch as police, fire protection, and water andsewer service.

A home-rule city may organize itself andconduct its business in any way its citizens seefit, as long as no state or federal laws are vio-lated. Approximately one-fourth of Texas citiesare home-rule cities. Such cities try to increasetheir tax bases by becoming larger. One way todo this is to annex, or take over, nearby land.Texas law, however, states that city servicesmust be provided to newly added areas within

four and one-half years.This is to ensure thatpeople living in thenewly annexed areasfully share in the bene-fits that the city govern-ment already providesto those living in thelonger established partsof the city. Some annex-ations are not popularwith the residents. Effortsare being made to change the state laws so thatpeople living in an area have more to say aboutwhat happens to their town.

Organization of City Governments

Three common forms of city governments inTexas include mayor-council, council-manager,and commission.

The mayor-council city government is usedby some cities in Texas. This model gives themayor executive authority. There are strong-mayor and weak-mayor types of this form. In astrong-mayor city, the mayor is responsible forday-to-day operations, hiring and firing depart-ment heads, and vetoing city council actions.Houston and El Paso are strong-mayor cities.

657

TEXASHISTORY

Student Web

Activity Visit thetexans.glencoe.com Website and click onChapter 30—Student

Web Activity to learnmore about a mayor’sduties.

Firefighters provide valuable services tocity and county residents. What aresome of the ways that firefightersassist local communities?

Exploring Government

Houston first started using this model in 1947.In weak-mayor cities, the mayor shares admin-istrative duties with the city council. City coun-cils regularly consider ordinances, or local laws,that address health and public safety.

In council-manager cities, generally home-ruled ones, the mayor has less power, presidingover council meetings and having only one vote,like the other council members. Dallas is thelargest city in the United States to use this typeof local government, having adopted it in 1931.San Antonio changed to this structure in 1951. Inthese cities, the city council hires a professionalcity manager to manage the day-to-day affairs ofthe city and prepare the city budget. He or shecan hire and fire city employees.

In commission cities, voters elect commission-ers to operate the government. The commission-ers serve as a city council, yet each member is

also head of a department, such as public safetyor human services. The mayor has little power,presiding over meetings and acting as aspokesperson for the council. If commissionersfollow different goals, it is difficult to coordinatecity policies. Commission city government is theleast common form of local government in Texas.It was often used in the early part of the century.Both Galveston and Sweetwater adopted thisform in 1901.

City Governments Need Funds

Local governments need money to operateand provide services for their citizens. Citieshave several sources of revenue, the mostimportant of which is property taxes. Thesetaxes are paid by the owners of land, houses,and other buildings and depend on the financialworth of the property. Tax assessors inspect theproperty, appraise, or determine the value, andmake recommendations to the city.

Cities can also charge a sales tax on the valueof goods sold within the city. Other sources ofrevenue include fees for services such asgarbage collection, hospital care, and use of

658 CHAPTER 30 Local Government

28°50' N

99° W

15

150 mi.

0 kmAlbers Conic Equal-Area projection

N

S

EW

Pearsall

Precinct 1

Precinct 2

Precinct 4

Precinct 3

MEDINA

DIM

MIT

LA SALLE

FRIO

AT

ASC

OSA

MC

MU

LLE

N

ZA

VA

LA

N

S

EW

20

200 mi.

0 kmAlbers Conic Equal-Area projection

96°W 95°W

30°NLakeHouston

Spring Creek

Brazos River

Houston

Katy

Waller

Tomball

JerseyVillage

Humble

BaytownJacinto City

Galena Park

Pasadena

Deer Park

South Houston

La Porte

Shoreacres

Seabrook

Webster

El LagoTaylor LakeVillage

W. UniversityPlace

South SidePlace

Bellaire

Hilshire Village

Hunters Creek Village

Spring VillageHedwig Village

Bunker Hill Village

Piney Point Village

Pearland

Friendswood

League City

MONTGOMERYGRIMES

HARRIS

FORT BEND

WALLER

LIBERTY

GALVESTON

BRAZORIA

CHAMBERS

For elections, counties are divided into precincts. Forlocal governments, counties are divided into cities andunincorporated areas.Analyzing Do you think Harris County would havefewer or more precincts than Frio County? Why?

County CommissionerPrecincts Frio County, Texas

Municipal Boundaries Harris County, Texas

parks. Building permits and fines collected fromtraffic violations are also a source of money.

Local governments in Texas spend theirmoney on police and fire protection, jail main-tenance, parks, streets, sanitation, recycling,storm drainage, bridges, animal shelters,libraries, museums, and airports. When moneyis needed for special long-term projects, such asbuilding a convention center or sports arena,governments may issue bonds, certificates thatguarantee payment plus interest, or ask forstate or federal assistance.

Identifying Name five services that

taxes pay for in local governments.

County Government

The county level of governmentwas originally created to establishlaws and procedures for ruralareas. The county remains the mostimportant unit of local govern-ment. All 254 counties in Texasexist as administrative areas of thestate and are staffed by locallyelected officials.

One of the most importantresponsibilities of county govern-ments is to help the state govern-ment fulfill its duties. Countyofficials help collect state taxes, han-dle important election matters, andissue licenses. County courthousesmaintain records of births, deaths,marriages, and property ownership.Every Texas county works withstate and federal agencies to providea wide variety of services and pro-grams for its citizens.

County Officials

The Texas constitution requires that the gov-ernment be set up the same way in every county.The most important governing body is thecommissioners court, responsible for determin-ing the county’s budget, setting the property-taxrate, and deciding how tax monies are spent.

Each county in Texas is divided into fourdistricts, or precincts, that elect one countycommissioner each. The commissioners servefour-year terms. The county judge, responsiblefor the day-to-day administration of thecounty, is elected in a county-wide electionand also serves a four-year term. The countyjudge heads the commissioners court.

The commissioners court does not conducttrials. Instead, it makes policies and directs

Commissioner

County Judge

Sheriff

County Attorney

County Clerk

District Clerk

Treasurer

Tax Assessor

Constable

Justice of

the Peace

Job Description and DutiesCounty Official

Elected County Officials

Four commissioners comprise each commissioners court. They make policies and direct county business, including approving budgets and setting tax rates.

The chief administrator of the court; Heads the commissioners court, prepares budgets for approval, serves as judge of the county court, performs special election duties

A county’s chief law-enforcement officer; Along with deputies (in larger counties), manages county jails and prisoners

Serves as legal adviser to other county officials and represents the county in criminal cases

Maintains records of the county courts and registers births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and property transfers; Prepares election ballots; Registers voters

Keeps the records of the state district courts

Acts as the county’s banker, receives money, and pays the county’s bills

Collects property taxes and license fees; Issues automobile titles

Larger counties have four to eight justices of the peace who hear minor criminal and civil cases. Small counties may have only one.

Serves official papers issued by the courts

Describing County department heads oversee manyimportant functions. Which county official would hearminor criminal or civil cases?

CHAPTER 30 Local Government 659

county business. Among the projects the com-missioners court works on are building andrepairing roads and bridges, operating thecourthouse and jail, and maintaining countyhospitals, museums, libraries, parks, and air-ports. The chart on page 659 shows the majorcounty officials in Texas and their duties.

Financing County Government

Counties rely on two important sources ofrevenue—property taxes and bonds. The statepermits counties to collect taxes on most realestate property (buildings and land). Propertytaxes are the most important source of countyrevenue. Personal property, such as automo-biles and airplanes, may also be taxed. Thecommissioners court sets the tax rate forthe county. Counties also can raise money byissuing bonds after voter approval. Bonds payfor long-term construction projects. Othersources of income for counties include fees forvarious permits, taxes on fuel, and fees forvehicle registration.

County budgets, drawn up by the countyjudge and approved by the commissionerscourt, address the needs of each particularcounty. Fast-growing counties may set asidemore funds for roads and bridges. Countieswith high crime rates may spend more on lawenforcement, courts, and jails.

Special Districts

Special districts are created to meet a specificneed. They are the most numerous of all gov-ernment units. School districts, rapid transitauthorities, municipal utility districts, riverauthorities, and water control and improvementdistricts are all types of special districts.

School districts are the most common kind ofspecial district. Each of the 1,000-plus school dis-tricts in Texas is directed by an elected board oftrustees, commonly called the school board. Thetrustees have the power to select school superin-tendents, make school policies, hire teachers, setsalaries, maintain school buildings, and providetransportation to and from schools.

Money for school districts comes from fed-eral, state, and local funds. In the 1990s, Texaswas under court order to change its method ofdistributing state funds to schools. The changeswere intended to shift money available per stu-dent from richer school districts to poorer ones.Critics of this program called this the “RobinHood Plan,” named after the legendary outlawwho “took from the rich and gave to the poor.”

Community college districts support thedevelopment of junior or community colleges.These districts have a separate board of trustees.

Explaining Where do school

districts get their funding?

Checking for Understanding

1. Using Key Terms Use the wordsappraise and real estate in onesentence that shows you under-stand what they mean.

2. Reviewing Facts What are theduties of the county treasurer?

Reviewing Themes

3. Government and Democracy

How does county government helpthe state government?

Organizing to Learn

4. Summarizing Create a chart likethe one below. List the sources ofmoney for local government andhow local governments spend themoney.

Critical Thinking

5. Contrasting How are general-lawcities different from home-rulecities?

6. Analyzing Why do some citieschoose to incorporate?

Analyzing Why can special districtsoften meet the needs of citizens betterthan a city or county government can?

Sources of How Money Is

Money Spent

660 CHAPTER 30 Local Government

Analyzing Newspaper Articles Read this para-graph from the same article, and then answer the ques-tions below.

The political debate is complicated. Environmentalistswant more conservation and tougher regulation, asopposed to new dams and aggressive pumping ofgroundwater. There are the competing demands ofagriculture and urban areas. There are also differingneeds and climates in the state’s various regions . . .

1. Identify the main issues in the paragraph.2. Decide your view of the issue and share with the class.

Glencoe’s Skillbuilder Interactive Workbook,Level 1, provides instruction and practice in keysocial studies skills.

Why Learn This Skill?

Newspaper articles are important sources of infor-mation about today’s events. In addition, they areimportant primary sources about the past.

News articles begin with a headline, which is a shortphrase that tells the main point; a byline, which is thewriter’s name; and often a dateline, which tells whereand when the story was written. The first paragraph isthe “lead.” It addresses the main topic of the article.Other paragraphs add details. The writer will oftenquote people who have differing views. Newswriters tryto be objective, writing only facts and not their ownpersonal opinions.

Learning the Skill

• Read the headline, the byline, and the dateline• Read the “lead” to determine the main topic• Identify other important details

Practicing the Skill

Read this article from the April 16, 2001, New YorkTimes, then answer the questions.

At a time when nearly every major city inTexas is desperate for more water to meet run-away population growth, Mr. [T. Boone]Pickens is proposing to pump tens of billionsof gallons—to the highest bidder . . .

“Water is the lifeblood of West Texas,” saidMr. Pickens, 72, who is courting Fort Worth,Dallas, San Antonio, and El Paso as potentialcustomers and estimates that a deal could reap $1 billion . . .

“For decades the gold beneath the ground inTexas was oil. But if oil built modern Texas,water is now needed to sustain it.”

. . . “You’re going to devastate a large part ofthe state of Texas,” said Tom Beard, a rancher.He feared that arid West Texas could be pumpeddry by water ranches owned by distant cities . . .

1What is the main subject of the article?

2What two sources does the writer quote and whatarguments do those sources make?

Analyzing Newspaper Articles

Study & WritingStudy & Writing

661661

Nearly dry riverbed in the Rio Grande system

662 CHAPTER 30 Local Government

League of United LatinAmerican Citizens isfounded

Participationin Government

Guide to Reading

Main Idea

Many opportunities exist for Texans to participate in government and politics.

Key Terms

nonpartisan election

watchdog role

special interest groups

Reading Strategy

Organizing Information As you readthis section, complete a web to showhow Texas residents can participate ingovernment.

Read to Learn

• about citizen participation.• about political parties and special

interest groups.• about the election process.

Section Theme

Civic Rights and Responsibilities AllTexans have the right and duty to par-ticipate in government on some level.

League of Women Voters ofTexas forms

Preview of Events

Marcus Puente received the second-highest vote total among the field of

six candidates in the school board election. The University of Texas at San

Antonio sophomore is now a member of the school board for Yorktown,

which has 700 students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Puente, who turned

19 when elected, is one of the youngest—if not the youngest—school trustee

in the state. By law, school board members in Texas must be at least 18.

✦1919 ✦1929

Democratic Principles

Both the United States and Texas were founded on the principle that citi-zens should govern themselves. The founders fought for and establisheddemocratic governments for the nation and the state. Today Texans have the

Yorktown school board, 2000

Ways to

Participate

right and duty to support their democratic gov-ernment. This right too often is taken for granted.

A democratic government is founded on threeimportant beliefs. One is that the needs andopinions of each citizen are important. Anotheris that citizens have different needs, values, andexperiences that government should consider ifit is to serve all the people. Third, a democraticgovernment is founded on the belief that citi-zens should participate in government.

Individual Participation

Government officials perform their jobs moreeffectively when they know what the peoplewant. Citizens can learn about their governmentfrom many sources. They can watch television,listen to the radio, read newspapers and maga-zines, and talk to their friends and neighbors.People can then express the views they formedby talking to or writing to government officialsand employees. An important way to expressconcerns is by voting. Citizens help make manyimportant decisions when they vote. Voters electindividuals to carry out specific governmenttasks. To vote in Texas elections, a person mustbe a native-born or naturalized citizen of theUnited States and 18 years or older on electionday. He or she must also be a resident of thestate and county and be registered to vote for atleast 30 days before election day.

Many people are involved in governmentthrough volunteer work, an important activity inwhich citizens can make a difference. Volunteersread to young children at public libraries, help incity cleanup campaigns, answer phones at crisishot lines, and volunteer in political campaigns.

Examining How is voting an

expression of individual participation in government?

Running for Political Office

Any Texan who wants to serve as an electedofficial must campaign to win voter support.Campaigns are excellent opportunities for candi-dates and voters to express their opinions andconcerns. Some officials in government receivesalaries, while others donate their time to help

meet the needs of other citizens. While serving asstate treasurer, Ann Richards spoke about citizensbecoming involved:

“People come up to me and want me to

teach them what I know. As if what I know is

something in that great magical beyond. It is

nothing more than establishing a goal, taking

the risk to go after that goal, and putting the

money together to pay for it.”

Political Parties in Texas

Voting is one of the most important ways toparticipate in a democracy. The chart on page664 describes the four types of elections thattake place in Texas—primary elections, generalelections, special elections, and local elections.In nonpartisan elections, candidates are notidentified by any particular party.

One of the most important ways citizens canaffect government decision making is by takingpart in political parties. The ideas and actions ofeach individual citizen are important. Todaythere are many opportunities for citizens tobecome involved and to influence government.

Political parties serve several functions. Oneof the most important is to nominate people torun for public office. Political parties campaignfor their candidates both in general elections andin special elections. They encourage volunteersto campaign, to participate in party activities,and to conduct voter registration drives.

A key event in expanding politicalparticipation occurred in 1971. That was theyear of the passage of the Twenty-sixthAmendment to the Constitution of theUnited States. Under the provisions of theamendment, persons who are 18 years of ageor older cannot be excludedfrom voting because of age.

663CHAPTER 30 Local Government

Once elections have been held, political par-ties play an important part in organizing gov-ernment. Political parties help to staff thegovernment by recommending qualified candi-dates for positions that need to be filled.

The parties work to unite government leadersso they can better carry out their duties.Members of Congress who belong to the sameparty meet regularly to choose leaders and todecide new policy strategies. They discuss com-mon problems and possible plans of action.

Another activity of political parties is to mon-itor, or keep track of, other parties. This is calledthe watchdog role. Each party tries to keepinformed about the work of others, reportingpractices or decisions with which it disagrees.This process helps to keep the citizens informed.

Until recently, the Democratic Party wasdominant in Texas. Now both the RepublicanParty and the Democratic Party compete forvoter support. Texans benefit from havingactive political parties. The parties work hardto recruit good candidates and to publicizeimportant issues. The political parties alsoencourage citizens to participate in campaignsand elections. In addition to the Democraticand Republican Parties, other parties haveappeared on Texas ballots in recent years,including the Reform Party, Libertarian Party,and the Green Party.

Summarizing What are the roles of

political parties?

Special Interest Groups

Special interest groups (SIGs) are organiza-tions of people who share a common interestand seek to exert influence over a particularaspect of government. SIGs might be formed topromote a particular industry, or to influence aparticular political matter like civil rights forminorities or environmental protection.

Although SIGs are similar to political parties, their focus is generally narrower andmore specific. Another important differencebetween SIGs and political parties has to dowith their activities. One of the main functionsof political parties is to nominate and elect

candidates to office. Although SIGs may sup-port candidates, their main goal is to influencepublic officials.

People are motivated to join SIGs if theythink there is a potential benefit. For example,labor groups work to advance their rights orincrease wages. Racial and ethnic groups pro-mote political, economic, and social equalityfor their members.

664 CHAPTER 30 Local Government

Primary elections

General elections

Special elections

Local elections

Types of Elections and What

You Should Know About Them

Candidates from the same political party compete against each other.

Each party’s primary winner runs in the general election.

Held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in even-numbered years

Voters elect government leaders at the national and state levels.

Statewide officials are elected in nonpresidential years.

Citizens may be asked to vote on proposed laws or special issues.

Held to fill vacancies in the Texas legislature or the U.S. Congress

Held to approve local bond proposals, taxes, and constitutional amendments

Held to fill vacancies of city councils, school boards, and community college boards

Held to elect city council members, mayors, school board members, and special district boards; usually nonpartisan

Identifying Elections are a very important part ofthe democratic process. Citizens express their opinionsabout candidates and issues through their votes. Namethe school board members who were most recentlyelected in your school district.

Political interest groups focus on a variety ofissues. Women’s groups, such as the TexasLeague of Women Voters, founded in 1919,publish reliable voter information. Religiousgroups promote government policies in agree-ment with their beliefs. Groups like the SierraClub seek to achieve and maintain clean air andwater. The oldest and largest Hispanic group,the League of United Latin American Citizens(LULAC), founded in 1929, has worked hard toensure social justice and equal educationalopportunities for Latinos. The NAACP TexasState Conference formed in 1937 to help its localbranches continue their work in registeringAfrican American voters and working for civilrights legislation.

Directly Influencing Government

An important way interest groups worktoward their goals is by electing governmentleaders whose views agree with their own. Interestgroups may recruit or encourage particular candi-dates, publicly endorse candidates, contributemoney to campaigns, or encourage members toserve as campaign volunteers.

Interest groups also work for their goals bygaining public support. They may purchaseadvertisements on radio and television and inmagazines and newspapers. Interest groupsmight hold public events to make their point

and shape public opinion. Another way interestgroups work toward their goals is throughlobbying, trying to persuade government lead-ers to favor a certain cause. Lobbyists mayappear before legislative committees, testify incourt hearings, and visit legislators and otherofficials. Some interest groups hire professionallobbyists. In other groups, members volunteer.Any lobbyist who spends a certain amount of time or money must register with the secre-tary of state, and all lobbyists must follow certain regulations.

Identifying What is a lobbyist?

Checking for Understanding

1. Using Key Terms Write a sen-tence for each of the followingterms: nonpartisan, watchdog

role, special interest group.

2. Reviewing Facts When aregeneral elections held?

Reviewing Themes

3. Civic Rights and Responsibilities

On which three important beliefs isa democratic government founded?

Organizing to Learn

4. Categorizing Create a chart likethe one shown here and fill in theblanks to show the purpose ofeach type of election (why it isheld).

Critical Thinking

5. Drawing Inferences Why do weconsider voting not just a right butalso a duty?

6. Evaluating Why would lobbyistsneed to register with the secretaryof state?

Analyzing Write a paragraph thatdescribes the role of a lobbyist.

Type of Election Purpose

Primary

General

Special

Local

665CHAPTER 30 Local Government

These citizens met at the State Capitol to lobby against amotorcycle helmet law. How else can citizens show theirsupport or opposition to a bill or law?

Exploring Government

Reviewing Key Terms

Choose from the following words to fill in the blanks in thethree spaces below: appraise, nonpartisan, special interestgroup, bonds, ordinance, commissioners court.

1. Local governments often receive funding from ________.

2. Elections for local government offices usually are________.

3. Tax assessors ________ property.

Reviewing Key Facts

4. Describe the differences between the council-manager,mayor-council (strong and weak), and commission formsof city governments.

5. What conditions must be met in order for a person to beallowed to vote in elections in Texas?

6. How is county government financed other than byproperty taxes and bonds?

7. List three functions of political parties.

8. Name three political parties other than the Democraticand Republican Parties.

Critical Thinking

9. Identifying Options Create a web like the one shownbelow. Give two reasons why you would participate inyour local or state government.

10. Civic Rights and Responsibilities Imagine if junior highschools in Texas required that all students put in a cer-tain number of volunteer hours working for the party oftheir choice before and during elections. How might thataffect the way that those students understand the demo-cratic process?

11. Comparing and Contrasting Explain the differencesbetween a political party and a special interest group.What do you think would happen if every special interestgroup became a political party?

12. Understanding Democracy Would there be any benefitsif special interest groups (SIGs) were eliminated frompolitical life? In what ways might it be helpful? In whatways might it be harmful?

666 CHAPTER 30 Local Government

Reasons

to Participate

C30_05C_823967

Local Government

• Taxes• Fees• Bonds• State government• Federal government

Types of City Governments• Council-manager• Commission

Types of Special Districts• School districts• Water districts• Transportation districts

Types of Elections• Primary elections• General elections• Special elections• Local elections

Types of Political Groups• Volunteer groups• Political parties• Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

Sources of Revenue forCities and Counties

• Mayor-council• strong-mayor city• weak-mayor city

Types of Cities• General-law• Home-rule

Geography and History Activity

Research and answer the following questions.

13. Where would you find a copy of your birth certificate?(Name the building and/or address.)

14. What is the name of your local school district, andwhere is the district office located? (Name the buildingand/or address.)

Portfolio/TAKS Writing Activity

15. Identifying Options Reflect on the ideas and informa-tion presented in the chapter. Imagine that you are run-ning for the school board of your local school district.You have some very strong opinions and ideas aboutwhat is working well in the schools and what needs to bechanged. Write a paragraph that summarizes your ideas.Keep your campaign promises realistic yet optimistic.Save your work for your portfolio.

Citizenship and History Activity

16. Researching a Current Issue Choose a special districtthat interests you, such as a water district or soil conser-vation district. Use the Internet or go in person to thespecial district office to collect information about a cur-rent issue under discussion in the district. Write a one-page paper on your findings.

Building Technology Skills

17. Using the Internet or Library for Research Work withanother student to research one of the special interestgroups (SIGs) that represents a concern presented inTexas and Texans. Choose a special interest topic such ascivil rights, environmental protection, the oil industry, thebeef or dairy industry. Focus on explaining the SIG’s pur-pose—why it was formed in the first place—and theadvertising and lobbying strategies it uses to make itsconcerns heard. After you have completed your research,develop a multimedia presentation. Share your presenta-tion with the rest of the class.

Practicing Skills

18. Analyzing Newspaper Articles Find a newspaper articlethat interests you. Read the headline, byline, and dateline.Determine the main topic. Distinguish different views onthe topic. Identify any other important details. Summarizethe article in your own words.

Government and History Activity

19. Attending a City Council Meeting As a citizen andresident of a town or city and county in Texas, you havethe opportunity to participate in local government. Attenda city council meeting or, if you do not live in a city,attend a county commissioners meeting. Some citiesbroadcast the council meetings on local cable TV chan-nels. Take notes on the meeting or pick up an agenda.Write a paragraph about your observations.

Cooperative Learning Activity

20. Identifying Local Issues Working in groups of four,identify and follow a current local issue or problem thataffects your town or Texas by reading about it in thenewspaper, watching local TV news, and talking to friendsand neighbors. Evaluate the possible solutions that arebeing offered by officials and the public in general.Create an oral and visual presentation for the rest of theclass featuring videotaped news clips, newspaper articles,or interviews with people you spoke to.

667CHAPTER 30 Local Government

Self-Check Quiz

Visit the texans.glencoe.com Web site and click onChapter 30—Self-Check Quizzes to prepare for thechapter test.

TEXAS HISTORY

Use the information in this chapter to answer thefollowing question.Which of the following is the responsibility of your localgovernment?F Running the public schoolsG Building roadsH Publishing the local newspaperJ Creating and passing state laws

Test-Taking Tip:

Read the question and answer choices carefully.

Try to eliminate obviously wrong choices first.