Federalism
- National
- State
- Local
States have the delegated power to create local governments. With the exception of the nation's capitol, the national government cannot create local governments. However, the national government has complete authority over the land it owns.
- Article 4, Section 3: The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States.
- Wikipedia: Federal Lands.
The states were recognized as having sovereign jurisdiction over local governments in a court case, meaning it is part of case law.
- Dillon's Rule: The Dillon Rule is the principal that local government only exercises (1) powers expressly granted by the state, (2) powers necessarily and fairly implied from the grant of power, and (3) powers crucial to the existence of local government.
Local Governments
Two general types:
- Multi - Purpose
- Single -Purpose
Multi - Purpose
Two types
- Cities
- Counties
Single Purpose - AKA Special Districts
Two examples:
- Independent School Districts
- Community College Districts
__________
Definitions:
Cities: A city is a human settlement of a notable size. It can be defined as a permanent and densely settled place with administratively defined boundaries whose members work primarily on non-agricultural tasks. Cities generally have extensive systems for housing, transportation, sanitation, utilities, land use, production of goods, and communication. Their density facilitates interaction between people, government organizations, and businesses, sometimes benefiting different parties in the process, such as improving the efficiency of goods and service distribution.
County: Counties in U.S. states are administrative or political subdivision of the state in which their boundaries are drawn.
Special (Single) Purpose Districts.
- Texas Comptroller: In Texas, thousands of local governments called special purpose districts provide a variety of services including water conservation, toll roads, hospitals, libraries, utilities and fire control efforts. In 2014, the Texas Senate Research Center updated a comprehensive explanation of special-purpose districts, including tables showing establishing authority, allowable purposes and financing mechanisms. Download Invisible Government: Special Purpose Districts in Texas (PDF) from the Senate Research Center.
- Brazoria County Profile.
Textbook Terms:
Dillon's Rule
Counties
Cities / Municipalities
Municipal Utility District
Fiscal Federalism
Administrative Federalism
Commissioners Court
Partisan Elections
County Officials
- sheriff
- county clerk
- county attorney
- tax assessor
- justice of the peace
- constable
- auditor
bureaucracy
civil service
- county civil service system
- merit based service system
- patronage
privatization
contract outsourcing
cities
general law city
home rule cities
ordinance
city charter
annexation
extra territorial jurisdiction
machine politics
zoning
property taxes
bonds
- municipal
- revenue
- general obligation
homeowners association
independent school districts
community college districts
special districts
