Get out a piece of paper and answer this question: How is this bicycle like the Three Branches of Government?

1
Get out a piece of paper and answer this
questionHow is this bicycle like the Three
Branches of Government?
2
LEVELS OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT
Dallas County Courthouse
State Capital in Austin
Dallas City Hall
3
Federalism Two Constitutions

• Texas has two Constitutions that rule over it.
  The Texas and the U.S. Constitution.
• This is called Federalism.
• Federalism is a strong federal government (in
  Washington DC) that shares power with the state
  governments.

4

• The state handles any government responsibilities
  not covered by the federal government. (10th
  Amendment to the US constitution)
• Examples might be maintaining highways, prisons,
  supporting public schools and universities, and
  public health.

University of Texas at Austin
Huntsville State Prison
5
Texas many Constitutions
Constitution
1824
1827

• Texass first constitution was adopted in 1824
  when Texas was part of Mexico and Mexico became a
  republic and wrote the Constitution of 1824.
• In 1827, Coahuila y Tejas wrote a state
  constitution that included Texas because it was
  part of Mexico.
• Both were written in Spanish

6

• Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836
  and wrote its own constitution for the Republic
  of Texas
• The writers based it on the US Constitution
• Looked much like the constitution of the southern
  states of the U.S. and included a Bicameral
  legislature.

1836
7
REVOLVING CONSTITUTIONS

• 1845 - Texas was annexed by the U.S. and had to
  write a new state constitution
• 1861 - Texas joined the Confederate States of
  America and again wrote a constitution
• 1866 - Texas wrote another constitution to rejoin
  the U.S. after the Civil War.
• 1869 - This constitution was written during
  Reconstruction by Republicans from mostly out of
  state. .

Texas treating its former slaves poorly led to
the Constitution of 1866 being rejected by the
U.S. Gov
8
The Texas Constitution of 1876

• The Constitution of 1876 is last and current
  constitution we use in the state of Texas
• It was heavily influenced by the administration
  of the governor elected in 1869

9
E.J. Davis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10

• After the Civil War a Radical Republican named
  Edmund J. Davis was elected Governor.
• He was absolutely hated and despised by most
  Texans
• After he was run out of office in the election
  1874, the politicians of Texas wrote the
  Constitution of 1876 to make Texas have a
  Limited Government (A government whose powers
  are restricted by the constitution) so no one
  like E.J. Davis could ever hurt Texas again.

11
So how many is that?

• 8 in all!!!
• 1824
• 1827
• 1836
• 1845
• 1861
• 1866
• 1869
• 1876

12
State Government

• The State Government is the highest level of
  Government in Texas. These include the three
  branches we already talked about.
• The Capital is in Austin and that is where most
  of the State Government offices are located

13
COUNTY GOVERNMENTS
Below the State government are Counties. There
are 254 Counties in Texas The most of any state.
14
IMPORTANT COUNTY OFFICIALS

• Each county of Texas is made up of precincts that
  have a county commissioner. This group of
  commissioners makes up the County Commissioners
  Court. Though its not really a court, this
  group sets the tax rate and decides the budget
  for all county business.
• There are county treasurers and auditors that
  watch over county money. Some counties have a
  county attorney. (or Lawyer)
• The county clerk keeps county records including
  births, deaths, marriage certificates, and
  property ownership.

15

• The Sheriff is the top law officer of a county,
  and all counties have at least one constable
  which help keep the peace and serve court
  documents.

Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez
16
Municipal (City) Governments -The Texas
Constitution sets up rules for what type of
government a city can choose
17
Most cities in Texas have a Mayor-Counsel form of
government where the citizens of the city elect
the Mayor and the Counsel. -Some cities such
as Dallas have a Weak Mayor which has limited
authority, while the city counsel maintains most
of the power
-Houston has a Strong Mayor, which has full
executive authority and has many more
responsibilities.
18
San Antonio maintains a Counsel Manager form of
Government

• Other city government forms
• Counsel-Manager, like in San Antonio, has the
  counsel select a city manager, but maintains most
  policy making power.
• Commission Systems have the city counsel members
  each running different sections of the city
  government.

19

• Cities in Texas generate most of their money from
  property and sales tax. Many cities have lower
  tax rates because they get more money from
  tourism.

Why do you think that sales tax is lower in San
Antonio than Dallas?

• Cities also make money from business to buy
  licenses each year to operate and the city
  collects fees on new building constructions, and
  inspections.

20
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
There are over 1,050 Independent School Districts
in Texas. Each district is run by a school board
that chooses a superintendent that administrates
the whole district. These ISDs are funded by
the local cities and the state.
Dr. Robin Ryan
21
In Your Community

• Get out a piece of paper.
• I will show you a picture of a Government
  service.
• Write down whether the service is Municipal
  (City and County), State, or Federal government

22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
(No Transcript)
35
(No Transcript)
36
(No Transcript)
37
(No Transcript)
38
(No Transcript)
39
(No Transcript)
40
(No Transcript)
41
(No Transcript)
42
Municipal
43
Federal
44
State
45
Municipal
46
Federal
47
State
48
Municipal
49
State
50
Municipal
51
Municipal
52
Federal
53
Municipal
54
Federal
55
Municipal
56
Federal
57
Municipal
58
State
59
Municipal
60
State
61
Municipal