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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| the right and authority of a local government to govern itself, rather than have the state govern it. |
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| Texas Association of Counties |
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Definition
| Professional association and lobbying arm for county governments. |
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Definition
| Elected official who is the chief administrative officer of county government, serves on the commissioners court, and may also have some judicial functions. |
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| The legislative body of a county in Texas. |
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| Elected official who serves on the county legislative body, the commissioners court. |
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Definition
| Elected official who prosecutes criminal cases. |
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| Criminal District Attorney |
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Definition
| Elected official who prosecutes criminal cases. |
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Term
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Definition
| Elected official serving as the legal officer for county government and also as a criminal prosecutor. |
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Definition
| Elected official who serves as the chief law enforcement officer in county. |
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Definition
| Elected official who is responsible for keeping the records for the district court. |
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Definition
| Elected official who is responsible for keeping the records for the district court |
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| County Tax Assessor-Collector |
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Definition
| Elected official who collects taxes for the county (and perhaps for other |
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Definition
| Elected official who serves as the money manager for county government. |
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Definition
| Official appointed by a district judge to audit county finances. |
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| The Texas statutory code containing state laws about local governments |
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| General Ordinance-Making Authority |
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Definition
| The legal right to adopt ordinances covering a wide array of subject areas, authority that cities have but counties do not |
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Definition
| Cities with fewer than 5,000 residents, governed by a general state law rather than by a locally adopted charter. |
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Definition
| A form of city government in which the mayor has no more power than any other member of the council. |
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Term
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Definition
| A form of city government in which the mayor has strong powers to run the city by hiring, managing, and firing staff and controlling executive departments; the mayor also serves on the council. |
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Definition
| A form of city government in which the city council and the mayor hire a professional manager to run the city. |
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Definition
| A form of government in which elected members serve on the legislative body and also serve as head administrators of city programs |
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Term
| Texas Municipal Principal League |
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Definition
| Professional association and lobbying arm for city governments |
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Term
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Definition
| Enlargement of city’s corporate limits by incorporating surrounding territory into the city. |
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Term
| Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) |
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Definition
| The area outside a cities boundaries over which the city may exercise limited control. |
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Term
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Definition
| An election system in which all positions on the council or governing body filled by city-wide elections, with each position designated as a seat, and candidates must choose which place to run for. |
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Term
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Definition
| Election system in which a legislator runs from and represents one district rather than the entire geographic area encompassed by the government. |
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Definition
| A method of voting in which voters have a number of votes equal to the number of seats being filled, and voters may cast their votes all for one candidate or split them among candidates in various combinations. |
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| Proportional Representation |
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Definition
| A voting system that apportions legislative seats according to the percentage of the vote won by particular political party. |
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