Deck 8: Local Governments and Metropolitics

Question 1

The ________ refers to a constitutional arrangement in which power is concentrated in a central government.

A)unitary system
B)merit system
C)public defender system
D)assigned counsel system
E)spoils system

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Local government units exist only as agents of the state and exercise only those powers expressly given to them by their respective state governments.This relationship is known as ________.

A)Cooley Doctrine
B)Dillon's Rule
C)Absolute Priority Rule
D)Administrative Rule
E)Administrative-Control Rule

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following refers to a suburb?

A)a large city that is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for the region
B)the local level of government below the county used primarily in 20 northeastern states
C)a local level of government within counties that are usually organized around population centers
D)a residential area, typically within commuting distance of a city
E)the largest jurisdiction within a state

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In the context of county government, the ________ administer state laws, levy taxes, appropriate money, issue bonds, sign contracts on behalf of the county, and handle whatever jobs the state laws and constitution assign to them.

A)council managers
B)board of supervisors
C)chief administrative officers
D)councils of government
E)administrative commission

Question 5

The city of Fort Worth, Texas is located adjacent to the city of Dallas, Texas.Together they form a very large integral urban area that is interconnected in many ways.This joint entity is known as a ________.

A)metropolis
B)county
C)municipal
D)state
E)metropolitan area

Question 6

Companies doing business with the city must provide their workers enough income for a decent standard of living.This idea, enacted by communities, is known as ________.

A)"living wage" laws
B)minimum wages for living
C)collective bargaining
D)"quality of life" laws
E)gentrification

Question 7

Which of the following refers to a township?

A)a large city or municipality that serves as an economic and cultural center for a region
B)the larger area surrounding a metropolis that is heavily influenced by the metropolis, generally consisting of suburbs and other smaller cities
C)the local level of government below the county used primarily in 20 northeastern states
D)a community on the fringe or an urban area, defined by relatively high levels of commuting to the urban area, low housing density, and high population growth
E)a local level of government within counties that are usually organized around population centers

Question 8

Which of the following is true of the relationship between local and state governments?

A)State officers do not participate in local government.
B)Local governments are typically created by the federal government.
C)Local governments do not rely on power given to them by state governments.
D)Local governments are mentioned in the U.S.Constitution.
E)State officials have the authority to appoint and remove some local officials.

Question 9

In the context of local government structures, areas of high population density are considered ________.

A)to be rural
B)to have low housing density
C)to be municipal corporations
D)to be urban
E)to be counties

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a traditional function of a county government?

A)law enforcement
B)highway construction
C)legislation
D)tax collection
E)property assessment

Question 11

Which of the following refers to a metropolitan area?

A)a large city or municipality that serves as an economic and cultural center for a region
B)the larger area surrounding a metropolis that is heavily influenced by the metropolis, generally consisting of suburbs and other smaller cities
C)the largest local level of government below the state, currently used in 48 states
D)a community on the fringe or an urban area, defined by relatively high levels of commuting to the urban area, low housing density, and high population growth
E)a local level of government within counties that are usually organized around population centers

Question 12

________ refers to state constitutional authorization for local governments to conduct their own affairs.

A)Decentralization
B)Redistricting
C)Home rule
D)Reduction veto
E)Due process

Question 13

Which of the following is true of the local government in the United States?

A)Local governments have some constitutional authority in their own right.
B)Local governments are not created by the state government.
C)State officers do not participate in local government.
D)Local governments are not mentioned in the U.S.Constitution.
E)State governments and local governments exist independently of each other.

Question 14

Which of the following refers to a municipality?

A)the larger area surrounding a metropolis that is heavily influenced by the metropolis, generally consisting of suburbs and other smaller cities
B)a large city or municipality that serves as an economic and cultural center for a region
C)the largest local level of government below the state, currently used in 48 states
D)a community on the fringe or an urban area, defined by relatively high levels of commuting to the urban area, low housing density, and high population growth
E)a local level of government within counties that are usually organized around population centers

Question 15

Which of the following refers to a metropolis?

A)a large city or municipality that serves as an economic and cultural center for a region
B)a larger area generally consisting of suburbs and other smaller cities
C)the largest local level of government below the state, currently used in 48 states
D)a community on the fringe or an urban area, defined by relatively high levels of commuting to the urban area, low housing density, and high population growth
E)a local level of government within counties that are usually organized around population centers

Question 16

Which of the following refers to a county?

A)the larger area surrounding a metropolis that is heavily influenced by the metropolis, generally consisting of suburbs and other smaller cities
B)a large city or municipality that serves as an economic and cultural center for a region
C)the largest local level of government below the state, currently used in 48 states
D)a community on the fringe or an urban area, defined by relatively high levels of commuting to the urban area, low housing density, and high population growth
E)a local level of government that is usually organized around population centers

Question 17

Which of the following refers to an exurb?

A)the larger area surrounding a metropolis that is heavily influenced by the metropolis, generally consisting of suburbs and other smaller cities
B)a large city or municipality that serves as an economic and cultural center for a region
C)the largest local level of government below the state, currently used in 48 states
D)a community on the fringe or an urban area, defined by relatively high levels of commuting to the urban area, low housing density, and high population growth
E)a local level of government within counties that are usually organized around population centers

Question 18

Which of the following is a step taken to improve the efficiency of county governments?

A)increased responsibilities
B)increased intervention by the state government
C)increased revenue base
D)appointment of professional county executives
E)improved capacities

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT an example of an administrative officer of a county?

A)mayor
B)president of the council
C)council manager
D)borough president
E)county judge

Question 20

________ are the largest jurisdictions within a state and are among the oldest and most stable local governments in terms of their boundaries not changing.

A)Metropolitan areas
B)Exurbs
C)Suburbs
D)Towns
E)Counties

Question 21

Which of the following is a problem historically faced by central cities?

A)They have high crime rates.
B)Their population has been constantly increasing.
C)They have more "low cost citizens."
D)They have smaller tax bases.
E)They have poor infrastructure.

Question 22

Resistance to mandatory busing to achieve integrated schools in the 1960s and 1970s contributed to the so-called ________.

A)eminent domain
B)merit system
C)unitary system
D)home rule
E)white flight

Question 23

What is meant by the strong mayor-council form?

A)a gradual change in property ownership with wealthier people buying property and moving into neighborhoods, leading to the revitalization of the area
B)a form of local government in which the voters directly elect the city council and the mayor, who enjoys nearly total administrative authority
C)a city "constitution" that outlines the structure of city government, defines the authority of the various officials, and provides for their selection
D)a form of local government in which the city council hires a professional administrator to manage city affairs
E)a form of local government in which the members of the city council select the mayor, who then shares power with other elected or appointed boards and commissions

Question 24

Which of the following is true of the role of the mayor?

A)Mayors make more in salary than city managers or chief city administrators.
B)The main job of the mayor is legislative in the broadest sense of the term.
C)Mayors do not supervise special agencies such as the board of elections.
D)Mayors avoid any involvement with the school board over education policy.
E)Mayors usually work with the private sector to promote economic opportunities.

Question 25

Which of the following is a reason for the recent rejuvenation of the once-declining central cities in the United States?

A)payroll taxes
B)commuter taxes
C)state intervention
D)gentrification
E)white flight

Question 26

Which of the following is true of the strong mayor-council form?

A)Mayors are often chosen from members of the elected city council.
B)The mayor's appointive powers are usually restricted.
C)The mayor enjoys almost total administrative authority.
D)The city council as a whole generally possesses both legislative and executive authority.
E)The mayor must usually obtain the council's consent for all major decisions.

Question 27

Which of the following is a criticism of payroll or commuter tax?

A)It is only a long-term revenue growth opportunity.
B)It will encourage more businesses to leave a city.
C)It will increase the demand for services.
D)It will affect other tax collection measures.
E)It will prevent the state from allowing cities to collect local income tax.

Question 28

What is meant by the weak mayor-council form?

A)a city "constitution" that outlines the structure of city government, defines the authority of the various officials, and provides for their selection
B)a gradual change in property ownership with wealthier people buying property and moving into neighborhoods, leading to the revitalization of the area
C)a constitutional arrangement in which power is concentrated in a central government
D)a form of local government in which the city council hires a professional administrator to manage city affairs
E)a form of local government in which the members of the city council select the mayor, who then shares power with other elected or appointed boards and commissions

Question 29

Which of the following can dramatically affect city policy agendas?

A)a decrease in the number of educational institutions
B)an increase in the number of shopping centers
C)a large number of new migrants
D)a rise in housing costs
E)an increase in the number of nonprofit organizations

Question 30

The ________ refers to an official, hired by the mayor, who administers the day-to-day workings of the city staff in a strong mayor-council form of government.

A)auditor
B)assessor
C)city manager
D)commissioner
E)chief administrative officer

Question 31

________ is statistically associated with other problems such as poor health, infant mortality, stunted growth, low achievement and behavioral problems at school, and future unemployment as a young adult.

A)Child poverty
B)Reduced tax base
C)Increased immigration
D)Gentrification
E)Reduced revenue

Question 32

Which of the following is true of child poverty in the United States?

A)It is a problem frequently seen in the rural areas of the United States.
B)Detroit and Cleveland have the lowest child poverty rates.
C)It occurs at a higher rate in cities than in suburban or nonmetropolitan areas.
D)It is not associated with poor health and infant mortality.
E)San Francisco has one of the highest child poverty rates.

Question 33

Which of the following is the main reason for the shrinking tax bases of cities?

A)an influx of immigrants
B)white flight
C)the presence of a large number of senior citizens
D)a large number of truly needy people
E)businesses moving out of the city

Question 34

Which of the following is true of the weak mayor-council form?

A)The mayor must usually obtain the council's consent for all major decisions.
B)The mayor prepares and administers the budget with the help of his or her staff.
C)The mayor enjoys almost total administrative authority.
D)The mayor has the power to appoint and dismiss department heads.
E)The mayor is elected directly by the people.

Question 35

A geographical region of at least 50,000 people with high population density in its urbanized core and a high degree of social and economic integration between its outlying counties and the core is known as a(n) ________.

A)township
B)exurb
C)municipality
D)Metropolitan Statistical Area
E)annexe

Question 36

What is meant by a charter?

A)the oldest and most common form of city government, consisting of either a weak mayor and a city council or a strong mayor elected by voters and council
B)a gradual change in property ownership with wealthier people buying property and moving into neighborhoods, leading to the revitalization of the area
C)a city "constitution" that outlines the structure of city government, defines the authority of the various officials, and provides for their selection
D)a form of local government in which the voters directly elect the city council and the mayor
E)a form of local government in which the members of the city council select the mayor, who then shares power with other elected or appointed boards and commissions

Question 37

What is meant by eminent domain?

A)the power a government has to take private land to use for a public purpose
B)a city "constitution" that outlines the structure of city government, defines the authority of the various officials, and provides for their selection
C)the oldest and most common form of city government, consisting of either a weak mayor and a city council or a strong mayor elected by voters and council
D)a gradual change in property ownership with wealthier people buying property and moving into neighborhoods, leading to the revitalization of the area
E)a form of local government in which the voters directly elect the city council and the mayor

Question 38

Which of the following is true of a council-manager charter?

A)The mayor prepares and administers the budget.
B)The council makes the laws and approves the budget.
C)The council does not supervise city government.
D)The city manager has no contribution to policy creation.
E)The council does not contribute to policy creation.

Question 39

What is meant by a mayor-council charter?

A)a gradual change in property ownership with wealthier people buying property and moving into neighborhoods, leading to the revitalization of the area
B)a city "constitution" that outlines the structure of city government, defines the authority of the various officials, and provides for their selection
C)a form of local government in which the city council hires a professional administrator to manage city affairs
D)the oldest and most common form of city government, consisting of either a weak mayor and a city council or a strong mayor elected by voters and council
E)a constitutional arrangement in which power is concentrated in a central government

Question 40

What is meant by the council-manager plan?

A)a form of local government in which the voters directly elect the city council and the mayor
B)a city "constitution" that outlines the structure of city government, defines the authority of the various officials, and provides for their selection
C)a gradual change in property ownership with wealthier people buying property and moving into neighborhoods, leading to the revitalization of the area
D)a form of local government in which the city council hires a professional administrator to manage city affairs
E)a form of local government in which the members of the city council select the mayor, who then shares power with other elected or appointed boards and commissions

Question 41

Which of the following is true of "edge cities"?

A)There is no incidence of crime.
B)They lie in unincorporated areas of counties.
C)They are free of traffic congestion.
D)The problem of urban blight does not exist.
E)They are free of political problems.

Question 42

The most common solution to the problems of overlapping and duplicating jurisdictions is for the units of government to contract for services, a practice known as ________.

A)collective bargaining
B)gentrification
C)privatization
D)reapportionment
E)outsourcing

Question 43

What is meant by gentrification?

A)a form of local government in which the members of the city council select the mayor, who then shares power with other elected or appointed boards and commissions
B)a form of local government in which the voters directly elect the city council and the mayor
C)the oldest and most common form of city government, consisting of either a weak mayor and a city council or a strong mayor elected by voters and council
D)a city "constitution" that outlines the structure of city government, defines the authority of the various officials, and provides for their selection
E)a gradual change in property ownership with wealthier people buying property and moving into neighborhoods, leading to the revitalization of the area

Question 44

In the context of strategies to govern metropolitan regions, what is meant by annexation?

A)when one (typically large) city absorbs neighboring areas into it
B)when multiple cities agree to share services
C)when multiple cities establish an authority to run services in all the cities
D)when units of government are established to provide services for a regional area
E)when one merges with the surrounding county's government

Question 45

State officers participate in local government to a much greater extent than federal officers do in state politics.

Question 46

Which of the following is a challenge to coherent governance in the metro regions?

A)strong central governments
B)lack of dependence on state governments
C)competitive political parties
D)a rigid undivided executive authority
E)fragmented legislative power

Question 47

Most cities and towns have articles of incorporation-called initiatives-granted to them by the state.

Question 48

As a consequence of Dillon's rule, when doubts arise about the authority of local governments, courts generally decide for them.

Question 49

What is meant by "edge cities"?

A)cities built on the boundary of metropolitan areas often in unincorporated areas of counties
B)the largest local region below the state
C)a large city or municipality that serves as an economic and cultural center for a region
D)the larger area surrounding a metropolis that is heavily influenced by the metropolis, generally consisting of suburbs and other smaller cities
E)residential areas that are typically within commuting distance of a city

Question 50

Which of the following is true of federated governments?

A)They build on existing governments by assigning crucial functions to an area-wide metro government.
B) They bring locally elected officials together who devote time and resources to physical planning.
C)They enable multiple cities to share services.
D)They help multiple cities establish an expert organization to run services in all the cities.
E)They help establish units of government to provide one or more particular services for a regional area.

Question 51

Which of the following is true of regional coordinating and planning councils?

A)They are involved in the practice of absorbing neighboring areas into large cities.
B)They bring locally elected officials together who devote time and resources to physical planning.
C)They enable multiple cities to share services.
D)They help multiple cities establish an expert organization to run services in all the cities.
E)They help establish units of government to provide one or more particular services for a regional area.

Question 52

People come together in their own neighborhoods to tackle common problems or form neighborhood cooperatives.This is known as ________.

A)local governance
B)regional planning
C)community self-help
D)outsourcing
E)public authority oversight

Question 53

Which of the following is true of public authorities?

A)It is the practice of typically large cities absorbing neighboring areas into it.
B)It is the practice of multiple cities agreeing to share services.
C)It is established to undertake specialized functions in certain regions.
D)It is the practice of establishing units of government to provide services for a regional area.
E)It is the practice of merging with the surrounding county's government.

Question 54

In the context of strategies to govern metropolitan regions, what is meant by agreements to furnish services?

A)It refers to the practice of large cities absorbing neighboring areas into it.
B)It refers to the practice of a few cities sharing a single activity.
C)It refers to the practice of multiple cities establishing an authority to run services in all the cities.
D)It is the practice of establishing units of government to provide one or more particular services for a regional area.
E)It is the practice of merging with the surrounding county's government.

Question 55

Which of the following is a method used by suburbs to oppose economic growth and development?

A)They passed a legislation banning the establishment of industries.
B)They developed strategies to keep the minorities out of the area.
C)They encouraged the gentrification of the central cities.
D)They adopted building and zoning codes and land use regulations.
E)They discriminated against industries that approached for building permits.

Question 56

Which of the following is a disadvantage of gentrification?

A)emergence of more businesses that lead to overcrowding
B)overwhelming of city services
C)displacement of the poor
D)increased property prices
E)increased immigration

Question 57

Edge cities are sometimes run by ________ that refer to private owners who set the fees for policing, transportation, and various other services that are normally financed by taxes.

A)commission charters
B)shadow governments
C)city managers
D)state governments
E)mayors

Question 58

When local governments prove ineffective, state officials may offer them financial assistance with certain strings attached or may even take over responsibilities previously handled locally.

Question 59

What is meant by city-county consolidation?

A)It is the practice of typically large cities absorbing neighboring areas into it.
B)It is the practice of multiple cities agreeing to share services.
C)It is the practice of multiple cities establishing an expert organization to run services in all the cities.
D)It is a means of establishing units of government to provide one or more particular services for a regional area.
E)It is a means of overcoming the fragmentation of metro regions by merging the city with the county.

Question 60

Which of the following is true of special districts?

A)They are formed to avoid overlapping and duplicating jurisdictions.
B)They are formed when multiple cities agree to share services.
C)They are formed when one (typically large) city absorbs neighboring areas into it.
D)They are units of government typically established to provide one or more specific services.
E)They are established to undertake specialized functions in certain regions.

Question 61

In recent times, mayors have been given a share in policy making, and city administration has been centralized under the mayor's direction.

Question 62

A professional hired by the city council to manage the workings of the city staff in a council-manager form of government is known as a chief administrative officer.

Question 63

In the twentieth century, the immigrants into metropolitan areas were predominantly from rural areas in the Southern United States.

Question 64

National surveys of citizens' views reveal that the responsiveness of the federal and state governments is better than that of the local government due to their size and budgets.

Question 65

Urban and suburban counties have many of the same governmental structures as their rural counterparts, but they are more intertwined with their urban centers.

Question 66

A group of active citizens that provides political and policy-making leadership usually dominates town meetings.

Question 67

Under the council-manager charter, the council is usually elected in nonpartisan primaries and elections.

Question 68

Many cities with council-manager forms of government are increasingly moving toward at-large elections.

Question 69

Partisan politics is an emerging feature of city governments.

Question 70

"Edge cities" are similar to suburbs in that they are part of an incorporated city or town.

Question 71

Since the founding of the United States, governments have had the power to take private land for public purposes, even without the consent of the landowner.

Question 72

In cities with strong mayor-council form, the city council as a whole generally possesses both legislative and executive authority.

Question 73

The system of local governments in the United States is always efficient and inexpensive.

Question 74

Large numbers of new immigrants can dramatically affect city policy agendas.

Question 75

The shrinking tax base in the central cities in the United States has made it easier for them to raise sufficient revenue.

Question 76

Annexation is when one city merges with its surrounding county to overcome the fragmentation of metro regions.

Question 77

Counties rely heavily on state and federal sources for their revenue.

Question 78

A disadvantage of public authorities is that they increase the administrative load for mayors.

Question 79

In cities with the weak mayor-council form, the mayor appointive powers are restricted.

Question 80

The New England town meeting is the most complete example of direct democracy; voters participate directly in making rules, passing new laws, levying taxes, and appropriating money.