Texas: Local Governments

1
Texas Local Governments

• Dillon Rule
• Local Governments are creations of the state.
• Powers, functions, and responsibilities that they
  exercise have been delegated or granted them by
  the state government.
• No local government has sovereign powers.

2
General Law and Home Rule Cities

• Home Rule Cities
• Cities with a population of more than 5,000.
• Can adopt any form of government residents
  choose.
• Provided it does not conflict with the state
  constitution or statutes.
• General Law Cities
• Cities with a population of fewer than 5,000.
• Allowed to exercise only those powers
  specifically granted to it by the legislature.

3
Forms of City Government in Texas

• Mayor-Council
• Legislative function is vested in the city
  council and the executive function in the Mayor.
• Weak Mayor
• Mayor shares authority with the city council and
  other elected officials but has little
  independent control over city policy or
  administration.
• Strong Mayor
• Mayor has considerable power including budgetary
  control and appointment and removal authority
  over city department heads.

4
Why Different Forms of City Government?

• Most major Texas cities have functioned under
  more than one form of government.
• Changes in city charters follow intense political
  conflict, inertia, or an inability to respond to
  long-term problems.
• Proposed changes in governmental structures often
  threaten groups and interests that have a stake
  in the way things currently are.
• Charter revisions have a tendency to polarize a
  community.

5
City Commission

• Like the Council-Manager form of government, the
  City Commission reflects
• Efforts to reform through administrative
  efficiency.
• Reduction of Partisan Conflict.
• Adaptation of a Business Approach to Running a
  City.
• Origin of City Commission
• Usually traced to Galveston and the city
  governments inability to deal with aftermath of
  the flood.

6
Solutions to Problems of Local Government

• Privatization of Functions
• Annexation and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
• Modernization of County Governments
• Economic Development
• Interlocal Contracting
• Metro Government and Consolidation
• Public Improvement Districts

7
Local Government 21st Century Directions

• Modernization of Local Governments
• Revenues and Taxing Authority
• Local Governments and Economic Development
• Minority Interests in Local Government