Txpol FALL 15 PROF Roomberg PDF

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TX POLITICS Part 1 The Environment of Texas Politics: WHAT IS POLITICS: -involves conflict between political partines and other groups who want to influence elections and publi policy Enacting, intepreting and enforcing laws Who gets what, when, where, and how The Process that results in public policy -Policymaking POLITICAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS: govt elected by citizens to make and enforce laws Six flags over texas First country to come in was spain, then france, MX declared independence -individualistic culture: Govt there to maintain stavle society People who came to texas were accustommed to do things for themselves; rugged insividualism Because the state is so big, West Texas Plains: Agriculture Oil Socially and politically conservative White protestant fundamentalism The Border: Citrus fruit an vegetables Internationaal trade El Paso and Brownsville Large latino pop: Catholic Democrats successful Central Texas: Dominated bu universities and colleges, high tech, government, major miltary bases, tourism Most libereal region

THE AMERICAN FEDERAL STRUCTURE  Federal state relations: an evolving process

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Federal grants in aid -- most with matching funds Devolution Block grants No child left behind Texas resists national control over state power  Abortion and planned parenthood  Stimulus money -- some refused by Rick Perry *results of Texas' individualistic culture. Interstate commerce: between states, nat'l govts job INTRAstate comerce: within the borders of the state If you take the money as a state you have to follow rules on what to spend it on. Given tx indiv. Culture there have been times we turned down money bc we didn’t want to follow the rules. Idea behind NCLB was that every kid had to get the same level of education. Lots of different kinds of federal grants Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas (1827)  Texas as a mexican state o Mexican independence from spain in 1824  Mexican a republic with a federal constitution  Tejanos mexicans who wanted independence  Caused unrest in Anglos in eastern part of state -- texians agitated for independence o Wanted to continue slavery o Anglos felt superior to mexicans REPUBLIC OF TEXAS CONSTITUTION (1836)  Modeled on us constitution  Careful separation of church and state  Slavery legal  Unitary government  President had 3 year term o Sam Houston first president *unitary govt. we were independent from emxico but wanted to be part of US. Slavery was legal. Didn’t want us bc slave vs non slave states would be unequal SECESSION CONSTITUTION (1861)  Basically the same as 1845 const. but maade TX part of the confederay  Public officials pledged allegiance to confederacy  Inreased debt ceiling  Prohibited emancipation of slaves *last battle of the civil war was held in tx down by brownsville.

READMISSION TO THE UNION 1866  Based on 1845 const.  Provided military and provisional govt after Civil War  Nullified secession *govt oversaw civilians being elected MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS

Mg revenue:  Fees  Fines  Grants  Permits  Hotel/motel tax  Prop. Tax

COUNTIES Possible county govt reforms  Merit system (hired bc you meet job qualifications not bc youre related)  Home rule  Main source of rev is property tax

Border Counties  High growth bc of NAFTA and immigration  Most impoverished counties in the nation colonias (2300) o Depressed housing settlements often w/o running water SPECIAL DISTRICTS  Local govts providing single or closely related services not provided by county or municipal govt o Most numerous of all local govts in tx o Fastest growing form of govt in the country o May also be used if a needed service goes beyond city or county boundaries or across several counties o The most common form is the SCHOOL DISTRICT  More than 1000 isd  Governed by elected board with proff leadership  Primarily financed by local propertu taxes, with some funding from state budge o Junior or comm college districs (50)  Elected board  Receive prop taxes raised by local district, state approprations, small fed aid o Noneducation special distrits (2300)

Test 1 Ch 3 Def.

El Nonpartisan elections: an election in which candidates are not identified on the ballot by party label

Unfunded mandate: a requirement imposed on local governments by the state or a governing agency without providing funding to execute the requirement Statutory county court: court created by the legislature at the request of a county; may have civil or criminal jurisdiction or both, depending on the legislation creating it Council of governments: a regional planning body composed of governmental units (e.g., cities, counties, special districts); functions include review and comment on proposals by local governments for obtaining state and federal grants Extraterritorial jurisdiction: the limited authority a city has outside its boundaries. The larger the city’s population size, the larger the reach of its extraterritorial jurisdiction Ordinance: a local law enacted by a city council or approved by popular vote in a referendum or initiative election User fees: may allow a city to provide certain services with only a small subsidy from its general revenue fund or perhaps no subsidy at all Home rule city: municipality with a locally drafted charter. A city with a population of 5,000 or more may be incorporated as a home-rule city, citizens must vote to become one. Colonia: low-income community, typically located in S. TX and especially in counties bordering Mexico that lack running water and other essentials. General law city: municipality with a charter prescribed by the legislature. Communities with population of 201 or more may become general-law cities by adopting a charter prescribed by a general law enacted by the TX legislature. Dillon’s rule: a legal principle, still followed in the majority of states including Texas that local governments have only those powers granted by their state government. Bond: a mechanism by which governments borrow money. General obligation bonds (redeemed from general revenue) and revenue bonds (redeemed from revenue obtained from the property or activity financed by sale of the bonds) are authorized under Texas law. Term limits: a restriction on the number of terms officials can serve in a public office. Ad valorem tax: A tax based on the assessed value of real estate or personal property. Ad valorem taxes can be property tax or even duty on imported items. Property ad valorem taxes are the major source of revenue for state and municipal governments.

Tax rate: tax imposed by the federal government and some states based on an individual's taxable income or a corporation's earnings. The United States uses a progressive tax rate system, where the percentage of tax increases as taxable income. Mandate: the authority to carry out a policy or course of action, regarded as given by the electorate to a candidate or party that is victorious in an election Rollback election: An election that permits the voters to decide if a property tax increase (of more that 8 percent) approved by a local government will remain in effect or be reduced to 8 percent Property tax ceiling: can be implemented by city council action or by voter approval. Annexation: a policy that permits a city to bring unincorporated areas into the city’s jurisdiction City charter: the organizing document for a city Municipality referendum: a direct vote in which the entire municipal electorate is asked to vote on a particular proposal Homestead exemption: legal regime designed to protect the value of the homes of residents from property taxes, creditors, and circumstances arising from the death of the homeowner spouse. Cities may also provide an additional homestead exemption for disabled veterans and their surviving spouses, for homeowners 65 years of age or older, or for other reasons such as adding pollution controls. Property tax freeze: cities, counties, and community college districts may do this for senior citizens and the disabled. Used to lock in the current value of a capital property.

TEST 1 STUDY SHEET TEXAS POLITICS AND SOCIETY Susan Roomberg--Fall 2015 1.

Describe the historic and current influence of cattle, cotton and other crops, timber, and oil and natural gas on the economy in Texas. Cattle a. Origin traced to cattle transported from Spain to Mexico to Texas; resulted in the Texas longhorn b. Huge cattle empires like the King Ranch (825,000 acres) c. Production has declined (drought in 2011), but Texas still leads the nation i. Also in sheep, goats, wool, and mohair Cotton d. Backbone of state’s economy in the 1800s i. Already grew wild when settlers got here

Texas yields about one-half of the nation’s cotton supply and 10% of the world’s. i. Leads country in exported cotton ii. Most produced in west and high plains b. Other important crops: corn, grain, sorghum, hay, rice, cottonseed, peanuts, soybeans, pecans, fresh vegetables, and citrus Timber g. Bonanza era (mid-1800s-1900s) in Piney Woods and Big Thicket i. Timber largest employer in early 1900s; declined by 1920s h. Effects of clear-cutting, oil exploration, drought and wildfire i. More sustainable practices now employed; TX 10th largest producer nationally Oil and natural gas i. Spindletop Field first major wells (1901) j. Railroad Commission of Texas given regulatory authority in 1919 k. Many major oil companies started in Texas l. Four of the ten largest oil fields are in Texas m. Fracking – TX has 30% total US oil production i. Decline in oil prices has meant drop in revenues n. New awareness of air pollution caused by fossil fuels b.

Your book describes five major social and economic challenges for Texas today. For each, describe historical factors related to the issue and describe the status of the issue today. Who or what is working to solve the problem? What are some of the proposed solutions for each problem? Immigration, water, environmental protection, education, poverty, and social problems. Immigration: Reagan legalized illegals from 1982 and before Perry defended the dream act. Water: in 2011 ratified to use 2 billion $ to finance priority projects for water. The 83rd texas legislature proposed it. Environmental protection: texas filed 28 lawsuits against federal regulations. EPA rules the upgrading from coal-fired power plants… clean air ac. Texas must put environmental measures to clean up the gulf of mexico and restore it. Education: ranked 44th in high school grad. 47th in SAT scores. Shortages of teachers , not a good pay. Shortage in $ 2011 for education to balance state’s budget. Courts have intervened to require state to increase funding Poverty and social problems : increased 47% 20002011. 2014-1/4 is poor. Voters tend to support candidates who promise to lower taxes , less spending, fewer public empoyees. 3. What are the six major issues relative to economic directions facing Texas today? Briefly summarize each. Energy, high tech, agriculture, trade Energy: 4 of the 5 large corporations in texas are in the energy field High tech: 10% of wages in private sector Services: employs ¼ of texas workers. Provide more jobs more rapidly than all other sectors Agriculture: texas is 2nd, however it leads in total acreage. Trade: maquiladoras 2.

1.

What year was Texas annexed by the US? Why was the annexation treaty so unique? Why did it take so long for the annexation to be finalized? 1945 was the year Texas was annexed to the US and the became the 28th state of the Union. The annexation was so unique because many of the people living in the area were mexican and or still were loyal to the spanish crown. This led to conflict and finalized with the treaty of Guadalupe de hidalgo, mexican had a year to leave or become US citizens.

2.

What are the historical reasons for the restrictions on centralized government power in the Texas Constitution of 1876? What benefits did the authors of the 1876 Constitution hope to achieve by limiting state and county government? Corrupted Davis administration was reason for limiting centralized govt. power. To limit, and thus control, policymaking by placing many restrictions in the state’s fundamental law.

3.

How many articles does the Texas Constitution have? Describe articles 1-5. What are some of the provisions of the Texas Bill of Rights? Explain two that are different from the US Constitution (Mrs. Roomberg discussed these two in class). it has 17 articles, I: “Bill of Rights” concerns specific fundamental limitations on the power of the state government and certain rights granted to citizens that cannot be ignored. II: “the Power of Government” provides for the separation of the powers of the government. It also states that the government is not allowed to take other facets of government, and all power separated but equal. III: “Legislative Department” vest the legislative power of state in the legislature of the state of texas and establishes that legislature consist if the state senate and house of representatives. IV: “Executive department” describe the power and duties of the Texas Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State of Texas, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Commissioner of the general land office and attorney General. V: “Judicial Department” describes the composition, powers, and jurisdiction of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, the district, county, and commissioner courts, and the justice of the peace courts.

4.

What is the difference between interstate commerce and intrastate commerce? What level of government is responsible for each? If you perfume trade, traffic or transportation exclusively in your business’s domicile state, this is considered intrastate commerce. If your trade, traffic, or transportation is between a place in a state and a place outide of such state, between two places in a state through another state or a place outside the US is considered Interstate commerce. congress takes care of interstate.

1.

What is the basic structure of county government? Describe responsibilities of the county commissioner’s court, a county commissioner, the county judge, the county attorney, the county clerk, the assessor-collector of taxes, the district attorney, a justice of

the peace, a constable, the district clerk, and the sheriff. Who is “in charge” of county government? -It is provided by Texas Constitution (254). Limited powers to make laws (no home rule) and limited supervision by the State. -Commissioner’s court: major policy-making body of the county; membership includes 4 elected commissioners for specific precinct; oversees county budget and tax rates, jail, courthouse, and other county buildings; maintains roads and bridges; administers county health and welfare programs; and administers and finances elections. -County judge: presiding county officer; also presides over constitutional county court; has both administrative and judicial responsibilities; doesn’t have to be an attorney -County attorney: citizen elected to represent the county in civil and criminal cases, unless a resident district attorney performs some of these functions -County clerk: citizen elected to perform clerical chores for the county courts and commissioners court, keep public records, maintain vital statistics, and administer public elections, if the country does not have an administrator of elections -Assessor-collector of taxes: this elected official no longer assesses property for taxation but does collect taxes and fees and commonly handles voter registration -District attorney: citizen elected to serve one or more counties who prosecutes criminal cases, gives advisory opinions, and represents the county in civil cases -Justice of the peace: judge elected from a justice of the peace precinct who handles minor civil and criminal cases, like small claims court -Constable: citizen elected to assist the justice of the peace by serving papers in some cases carrying out security and investigative responsibilities -District clerk: citizen elected to maintain records for the district courts -County Sheriff: chief law enforcement officer/ oversees jail -county chair is in charge? 2.

Outline and describe the ways cities are governed: council-manager, mayor-council (strong and weak) and commission. What are the pros and cons of each system? Which is no longer used?

Council-manager form: elected city council with appointed city manager; mayor has ceremonial powers; council members have minimal salaries pros: professional manager, usually with a master’s degree in public administration; takes out of day to day decision-making cons: city manager not elected and therefore not accountable to people; cater to elite and middle class -Strong Mayor-council form: mayor elected at-large, council advises; mayor runs the city on a day-to-day basis (power of budget, veto, hiring, and firing) pros: having an elected official running the city makes them more accountable to voters cons: strong mayor form too political and inefficient because mayor so powerful -Weak mayor council form: mayor and council share administrative power (mayor “first among equals”; no veto power); usually only found in smaller cities pros: it keeps all elected officials accountable, and no one has too much power cons: it leads to confusion, since no one is accountable for decisions -Commission form: members of a city commission make policy and also serve as heads of city departments; no longer in use pros: allows small cities to get a bigger bang for their buck with an elected official doing two jobs cons: commissioners tend to become advocates for their departments; others fear corruption or unclear lines of responsibility

3.

What is a special district and for what reasons would one be formed? Give at least four examples of different kinds of special districts. Which type is most common? Special district: Local governments providing single or closely related services not provided by county or municipal government; most numerous of all local governments in Texas; fastest growing form of government The most common type is the school district

EX: hospital districts, library districts, fire protection districts, airport districts, transportation districts

4.

Explain the different way city elections can be held (single member districts, at-large place system, at-large, combination, and cumulative voting). What are some of the arguments for and against each kind of system? -single member district election: voters in an area elect one representative to serve on a policymaking body -at-large place system: members of a policymaking body, such as some city councils, are elected on a citywide basis rather than from single-member districts (two or more representatives -combination: -cumulative voting: multiple seats are contested in an at-large election, voters cast one or more of the specified number of votes for one or more candidates in any combination. It is designed to increase representation or historically underrepresented ethnic minority groups

5.

What are the common revenue sources for cities? For counties? Which two bring in the most money for each? How are special districts funded? -cities: property tax, sales tax, hotel/motel tax, permits, business licenses, fees, fines, grants, bonds most important: -counties: fees on liquor, motor vehicle taxes and fees, traffic fines, property taxes most important: property tax

6.

What are some of the major issues currently facing Texas cities? Counties? Special districts? -Special district: (“hidden government”) increasing ethnic diversity (majority/ minority), school finance issues/ equity and total funding, low election turnout, cost of state and federal regulations

7.

Define the terms initiative, recall, and referendum. What is the only form of government in Texas that can use these three methods? -Initiative: a citizen drafted measure proposed by a specific number or percentage of qualified voters that becomes law if...