1. In what ways do counties serve as the agents of state government in Texas? What are some of the factors that tend to impede the ability of the state government to supervise the counties? What constitutional changes would you recommend to make counties more accountable to the state or, conversely, more responsive to local problems?
2. Describe the structure of county government in Texas. How does this structure reflect the decentralized character of state government?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the basic types of city government discussed in the text? Why has the council-manager form become the most popular type of city government in Texas's home-rule cities?
4. Describe the various electoral systems used by cities in Texas. What are the arguments for and against the three types of representation used by Texas cities?
5. Why are special districts increasing in number more rapidly than other forms of local government? Do special districts tend to increase or decrease the degree of control that citizens are able to exercise over public policy?