Your answer should use proper grammar and spelling. Your answers should be entirely your own work; do not use others’ writing, copy from online or textbook sources, or otherwise borrow from works not your own (save for the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, or the Texas State Constitutions); all submissions will be subject to Turn-it-in review; violations of this rule will result in a zero for the exam. Be aware that some of the questions have multiple parts; be sure to answer each question fully! While there is no limit on the amount that you may write for each answer, most complete answers will be at least two double-spaced pages; answers that are longer than six double-spaced pages may be overthinking the question. Each answer is worth up to 10 points.
Discuss municipal government in Texas. Specifically, describe how cities grow and the various options available for structuring city government.
Hint 1: In your answer, be sure to discuss Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) and the annexation process. Also, be sure to discuss defensive city chartering (why would people want to do this).
Hint 2: In your answer, be sure to list and describe the three different types of municipal government.
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Texas Government Final
Cities grow in many different ways involving different patterns of urban growth and growth models. Extraterritorial Jurisdiction of a city involves the unincorporated land extension from the corporate limits that goes beyond city jurisdiction. The extent of a city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction varies based on the population, with the range from one-half mile for communities with less than 5,000 persons to the cities allowed five miles as the population is greater is 100,000. Extraterritorial jurisdiction of a city exceeds its statutory size limit when the owners of the additional contiguous area are having not made a request to have it in their extraterritorial jurisdiction. Annexations process extends the ETJ of a city to the statutory limit. The annexation process involves petitioning to the city council, after acceptance of petition, the city goes through notification and hearing process and the final part of the process involves the adoption of an annexation ordinance. A charter amendment can be used in defense for extending an officers terms as well as authorize the nominations of partisan candidates for elected offices in the city.
The Council Manager and Mayor Council include the major forms of city government in Texas. The Mayor-Council forms a category which consists of the strong-mayor and the weak-major. The two forms are differentiated by the authority of the City Manager, City Council and the Mayor. Mayor-Council municipality, the Mayor has great authority and administrative duties including appointments without council approval. The City Council has the power to make laws and broad policy decisions. Most of cities in Texas adopt the Council-Manager municipality, which the Mayor has the same authority as a city council member except ceremonial duties.
References
“Extraterritorial Jurisdiction for Planning and Development Regulation.” 2014, www.sog.unc.edu/resources/legal-summaries/extraterritorial-jurisdiction-planning-and-development-regulation. History paper writer UK. Texas Government
Www.bibliopolis.com. “A Defence of the Charter, and Municipal Rights of the City of London by Thomas Hunt on The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.” The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd, www.lawbookexchange.com/pages/books/65396/thomas-hunt/a-defence-of-the-charter-and-municipal-rights-of-the-city-of-london.
