Counties

A county is the next smallest unit of government

below a state.

• true

• false

Some services provided by the county are:

 Operate courts and jails

 Run hospitals

 Offer mental health services

 Provide clean water

• true

• false

Most of this money for the county comes from sales

tax.

• true

• false

property taxes- taxes that people or businesses pay on land and buildings they own inside the county.

• true

• false

Running elections is an example of an unfunded mandate for a county- its ordered but not paid for

• true

• false

Under Home Rule, counties have the power to make

decisions for themselves about what services to provide.

• true

• false

Those states follow Dillon’s Rule, which says that a county must get authority from the state legislature before it can provide services.

• true

• false

County citizens elect several people to sit on a commission (also called a board). This board has some “legislative” power

• Commission Only

• Commission/Administrator/Manager

• Commission + Executive

Under this system, the commission gives

some of its “executive” power to an administrator. The commission chooses the

administrator and has the power to fire that person.

• Commission + Executive

• Commission/Administrator/Manager

• Commission Only

Under this system, an elected person separate from the

commission has the county’s “executive” power. This executive can sometimes veto

decisions the board makes.

• Commission + Executive

• Commission/Administrator/Manager

• Commission Only