After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

★ Describe what is meant by the term local government and how it fits in a federal system.
★ Explain Texas’s one-size-fits-all approach to county government and the historical context in which it developed.
★ Identify the different types of city government and the issues they face.
★ Describe how public education and special districts serve as other forms of local government.
★ Assess who wins and who loses under the structure of Texas local government and its distribution of powers.