Local Government in Texas
Municipal Systems 1:
Cities
The Unitary State
• In unitary states, authority
flows generally downward
Central Government
– Citizens elect state gov’t
– States develop and
administer policy either
• Directly to citizens,
• Or indirectly through
counties
• These policies are generally
uniform throughout the
state: the ‘general law’
• Another system to develop
and administer policy
specific to individual
communities:
– Municipal government
• Cities
• Special Districts
County A
City
County B
SD
SD
City
Citizens
County C
City
City
Citizens
Citizens
Classes of Cities in Texas
• General Law cities
– Equivalent to unincorporated towns and townships in
other states
– Typically cities with populations under 5000
– No city charter
– Structure established by the Local Government Code
– Only state and federal taxes apply
– Unable to provide most municipal services
– Number of General Law Cities in Texas: 895
Structure of General Law Cities
Resident Voters
Board of Aldermen
Mayor
Public
Works
Officer
City
Secretary
Municipal
Judge
Municipal
Court Clerk
Appointed City Offices
Chief of
Police
Assistant
Secretary
For
Utilities
Classes of Cities in Texas
• Home-Rule cities
– Population > 5000
– Defined by a city charter
• The constitution of a municipal government
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–
–
–
Structure of municipal government
Modes of election and appointment
Modes of ordinance
Jurisdictional boundaries
• How to get a city charter
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Residents of GL city assemble a charter committee
Committee develops and submits proposal to resident voters
If approved by voters, charter sent to State Legislature and County Clerk
Recognized by the Texas Legislature
– Lays and collects municipal taxes
– Provides municipal services
– Number of Home-Rule cities in Texas: 315
Types of Home Rule Charter
• Mayor-Administrator
• Mayor-Council
– Strong Mayor
– Weak Mayor
• Council-Manager
• City Commission
Mayor-Administrator
• The simplest form of
municipal government
• Exceedingly rare
• Places most city power
in one set of hands
• Citizens elect mayor
• Mayor appoints a city
administrator
• City administrator
appoints city officers
Resident Voters
Mayor
Appointed City Offices
City Administrator
Police
Chief
Municipal
Judge
Fire
Chief
City
Clerk
Public
Works
Weak Mayor-Council
• City Charter variant
of the General Law
structure
• City council elected
by voters
Resident Voters
Mayor
– At-large
– By Place
– By Precinct
• Mayor may be
directly elected by
voters or
• Elected by city
council among their
members
• Mayor and city
council choose city
offices
City Council
Appointed City Offices
Municipal
Judge
City
Secretary
Municipal
Court Clerk
Public
Works
Officer
Chief of
Police
City
Attorney
Fire
Chief
Strong Mayor-Council
• Municipal structure
resembling the separation of
powers principle in the federal
government
• Mayor has strong executive
powers
– Usually strong appointment
power
– May have veto power over city
ordinances
– May have initiative power
• Fairly uncommon in Texas
• Houston largest Texas city
with a Strong Mayor
government
Resident Voters
Mayor
City Council
Appointed City Offices
Police
Chief
Municipal
Court
Fire
Chief
City
Secretary
Public
Works
Council-Manager
• Most common city charter in
Texas
• Citizens elect City Council
Resident Voters
City Council (may include Mayor)
– Citizens may elect a Mayor
– Mayor serves as city council chair
• Council appoints a city manager
and a few other offices
Municipal court
City
Manager
City Attorney
– City manager typically an MPA
• City manager serves as actual
chief executive
– Appoints most city offices
City Auditor
City Secretary
Appointed by
City Council
Other city
offices
Appointed by
City Manager
City Commission
Resident Voters
Police
Commissioner
Fire
Commissioner
Public Works
Commissioner
City
Secretary
Municipal
Court
• Originally developed in Galveston
– hurricane of 1900 killed up to 10,000
– ¾ of Galveston destroyed
– Commission charter developed to rebuild the city
• Municipal equivalent of a plural executive
• All major city offices directly elected in at-large elections
• Abandoned by Galveston in 1919
– Turf battles
– Lack of coordination among departments
• Commissions still found outside Texas
• Some Texas cities call their councils ‘commissions’ but are not true
commissions