States are the boss of local governments. This is a principle that goes back to Dillon's Rule. Nevertheless, Article One the Texas Constitution begins with language highlighting the "preservation of the right of local self-government." And Article 3 Section 56 lists the areas of local public policy where the state will not interfere.
But recently the Texas Legislature has expanded its control over local governments, and the 88th session is set to continue with additional expansions.
This article details areas where the state wishes to increase control over city government.
- Click here for the article.
Preserving local control will be a central issue this legislative session, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at a conference Friday along with eight other members of the Texas’ Big City Mayors coalition.
Mayors of the state’s most populous cities will “undoubtedly” oppose any upcoming legislation that would erode local authority, Nirenberg said.
“As mayors with the responsibility of managing services and operations that largely impact the daily lives of our residents, we believe we are best positioned to determine local policies,” he said.
San Antonio is the second-most populous city in Texas, with 1.4 million residents, and the seventh-most populous city in the nation. The bipartisan coalition is made up of 18 mayors who, combined, represent nearly one-third of the state’s population.
“All of us know what’s going on in our communities,” Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said.
Mayor George Fuller of McKinney, a city of just over 200,000 people north of Dallas, said there has been a “degradation” of the relationship between the state and cities in recent legislative sessions.
“We’ve seen nothing short of an assault on local control,” Fuller said. “We need to right that ship. We at the local level are your partners in the state. We are boots on the ground.”
