Chapter 10
County Government
Core Functions
● Roads & Transportation Infrastructure (construction and maintenance of county
roads and bridges) Jefferson County TX
● Public Safety & Justice (sheriff’s office, jails, courts, constables, justices of the
peace) Texas Counties Deliver
● Elections & Voter Registration (county clerk as chief election officer, canvassing)
Jefferson County TX
● Record Keeping (deeds, vital statistics, court records) Texas Counties Deliver
● Health & Safety Services (indigent health care, environmental health) Texas
Counties Deliver
● Emergency Management & Homeland Security (county judge heads emergency
response) Jefferson County TX
● Vehicle Registration & Tax Collection (tax assessor-collector, treasurer) Jefferson
County TX
● Other State-mandated Services (jury management, indigent defense support)
Texas Counties Deliver
County Officials & Roles
● County Judge: Presiding officer of Commissioners Court, administrator for budgets
(<225,000 pop.), often judicial functions (misdemeanors, probate), emergency
management head Jefferson County TX
● County Commissioners (4): Elected by precinct, set policy, adopt budget & tax rate,
authorize contracts, maintain roads/bridges in precinct Jefferson County TX
● County Attorney: Prosecutes misdemeanors, advises Commissioners Court, civil
enforcement Jefferson County TX
● District Attorney: Prosecutes felonies, grand jury liaison, victims’ protective
representation Jefferson County TX
Variation Across Counties
No “one-size-fits-all”—county operations vary by:
, ● Population Size (judicial duties of judge, appointed vs. elected budget officer)
Jefferson County TX
● Urban vs. Rural Needs (infrastructure vs. public transit, social services) GovExperts
● Geography & Economy (coastal, border, energy, agriculture districts) Fiveable
● Local Revenue Base (property values, tax caps, interlocal agreements) Jefferson
County TX
● State/Federal Mandates (environmental, election law changes) GovExperts
City Government
Three Major Forms
1. Council-Manager (most common; professional manager implements policy set by
elected council) Denton Navarro Law
2. Mayor-Council
○ Strong-Mayor: Mayor has veto, appointive/removal power
○ Weak-Mayor: Mayor more ceremonial, shares power with council TCMA
3. Commission (elected commissioners each oversee a department; less common)
Quizlet
Large cities in Texas overwhelmingly favor the council-manager form for its professional
administration and policy/career-manager separation Denton Navarro Law.
General-Law vs. Home-Rule
● General-Law Cities (pop. ≤5,000): Powers strictly defined by Local
Government Code; classified Type A, B, or C (depending on population and
structure) Texas StatutesFiveable
● Home-Rule Cities (pop. >5,000 + voter-approved charter): Broad authority to act
unless expressly prohibited; charters function as fundamental law (cannot conflict
with state Constitution or statutes) Texas StatutesTML
Municipal Elections
● Nonpartisan Ballots: Candidates listed without party labels, though affiliations are
often known
, ● Timing: Held in May of odd-numbered years (unless a special election)
pilotpointtx.gov
● Electoral Systems:
○ At-Large: All voters elect each seat/place
○ Single-Member Districts: Each district elects one councilmember
○ Place System: Voters select among candidates running for specific numbered
seats
● Vote Requirements: Plurality to win, majority required in some charter cities, runoffs
if no majority Texas Statutes
Special Districts
Definition & Purpose
Special districts are independent local governments created to deliver a single service
within defined boundaries—often where cities or counties do not provide it—or to pool
resources regionally Texas ComptrollerSocial Sci LibreTexts.
Common Types
● Independent School Districts (the most numerous)
● Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) (water/sewer)
● Hospital Districts
● Community College Districts
● Groundwater Conservation Districts
● Emergency Services Districts
● Drainage & Road Districts
● Housing Finance Corporations QuizletHouston Chronicle
Problems & Criticisms
● Fragmentation & Overlap: Hundreds of districts often serve the same area,
complicating planning and service delivery Wikipedia
● Accountability Gaps: Boards elected by small electorates, low voter turnout, or
developer control (e.g., early MUD boards) Hill Country Alliance
County Government
Core Functions
● Roads & Transportation Infrastructure (construction and maintenance of county
roads and bridges) Jefferson County TX
● Public Safety & Justice (sheriff’s office, jails, courts, constables, justices of the
peace) Texas Counties Deliver
● Elections & Voter Registration (county clerk as chief election officer, canvassing)
Jefferson County TX
● Record Keeping (deeds, vital statistics, court records) Texas Counties Deliver
● Health & Safety Services (indigent health care, environmental health) Texas
Counties Deliver
● Emergency Management & Homeland Security (county judge heads emergency
response) Jefferson County TX
● Vehicle Registration & Tax Collection (tax assessor-collector, treasurer) Jefferson
County TX
● Other State-mandated Services (jury management, indigent defense support)
Texas Counties Deliver
County Officials & Roles
● County Judge: Presiding officer of Commissioners Court, administrator for budgets
(<225,000 pop.), often judicial functions (misdemeanors, probate), emergency
management head Jefferson County TX
● County Commissioners (4): Elected by precinct, set policy, adopt budget & tax rate,
authorize contracts, maintain roads/bridges in precinct Jefferson County TX
● County Attorney: Prosecutes misdemeanors, advises Commissioners Court, civil
enforcement Jefferson County TX
● District Attorney: Prosecutes felonies, grand jury liaison, victims’ protective
representation Jefferson County TX
Variation Across Counties
No “one-size-fits-all”—county operations vary by:
, ● Population Size (judicial duties of judge, appointed vs. elected budget officer)
Jefferson County TX
● Urban vs. Rural Needs (infrastructure vs. public transit, social services) GovExperts
● Geography & Economy (coastal, border, energy, agriculture districts) Fiveable
● Local Revenue Base (property values, tax caps, interlocal agreements) Jefferson
County TX
● State/Federal Mandates (environmental, election law changes) GovExperts
City Government
Three Major Forms
1. Council-Manager (most common; professional manager implements policy set by
elected council) Denton Navarro Law
2. Mayor-Council
○ Strong-Mayor: Mayor has veto, appointive/removal power
○ Weak-Mayor: Mayor more ceremonial, shares power with council TCMA
3. Commission (elected commissioners each oversee a department; less common)
Quizlet
Large cities in Texas overwhelmingly favor the council-manager form for its professional
administration and policy/career-manager separation Denton Navarro Law.
General-Law vs. Home-Rule
● General-Law Cities (pop. ≤5,000): Powers strictly defined by Local
Government Code; classified Type A, B, or C (depending on population and
structure) Texas StatutesFiveable
● Home-Rule Cities (pop. >5,000 + voter-approved charter): Broad authority to act
unless expressly prohibited; charters function as fundamental law (cannot conflict
with state Constitution or statutes) Texas StatutesTML
Municipal Elections
● Nonpartisan Ballots: Candidates listed without party labels, though affiliations are
often known
, ● Timing: Held in May of odd-numbered years (unless a special election)
pilotpointtx.gov
● Electoral Systems:
○ At-Large: All voters elect each seat/place
○ Single-Member Districts: Each district elects one councilmember
○ Place System: Voters select among candidates running for specific numbered
seats
● Vote Requirements: Plurality to win, majority required in some charter cities, runoffs
if no majority Texas Statutes
Special Districts
Definition & Purpose
Special districts are independent local governments created to deliver a single service
within defined boundaries—often where cities or counties do not provide it—or to pool
resources regionally Texas ComptrollerSocial Sci LibreTexts.
Common Types
● Independent School Districts (the most numerous)
● Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) (water/sewer)
● Hospital Districts
● Community College Districts
● Groundwater Conservation Districts
● Emergency Services Districts
● Drainage & Road Districts
● Housing Finance Corporations QuizletHouston Chronicle
Problems & Criticisms
● Fragmentation & Overlap: Hundreds of districts often serve the same area,
complicating planning and service delivery Wikipedia
● Accountability Gaps: Boards elected by small electorates, low voter turnout, or
developer control (e.g., early MUD boards) Hill Country Alliance
