8. However, by law in Texas, counties cannot perform certain functions that urban countiesprovide in other states--these would include water, sewage disposal, planning and zoning,building codes and enforcement, and fire protectionC. SOURCES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES1. The major revenue source for counties is the property tax2. Other sources of revenue include bond issues (with voter approval), fees for the sale ofliquor, and a portion of the money raised from state motor vehicle registration or licensefees, motor fuel taxes, motor vehicle sales tax, fees for issuing certificates of title for motorvehicles, and a road and bridge tax not exceeding $103. Expenditures include the following: road and bridge maintenance (the largest category inthe typical county), law enforcement and the running of the county jail, and welfare andhealth programsD. WEAKNESSES OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT1. The uniformity of county governmenta. This denies counties with varying needs the flexibility to tailor county government tounique local needsb. It is ridiculous to think that the same structure of county government can adequatelyserve Loving county with 107 people and Harris county with over 2 million people2. The plural executive form of county government, with no centralized executive authorityfigure, often means no leadership at the county level3. The inability of county governments to provide many services and deal with manyproblems in urban areas (providing water, electricity, garbage pickup, sewer, and fireprotection services) is a second major problem4. County governments also lack general ordinance authority (unlike cities)a. County governments must obtain legislative approval to pass specific ordinancesb. This lack of general ordinance power makes it impossible for county government toregulate activities outside city limits that need regulating (zoning and building codes are twogood examples)5. A last problem is the inequity of financial resources
a. Most of the property tax in many counties is paid for by residents living inside the citylimits, yet county residents living outside the city receive many services not provided to cityresidents by the county--road construction and repair and police protection are two goodexamplesb. Thus, city residents are paying twice for a service they only receive once6. A recommended reform would be to allow for county home rule, allowing counties toadopt a local option charter and approve a form of county government more suited to theirunique local needs7. Providing counties with a general ordinance authority would also give them the powerthey need to adequately regulate activities outside city limits that need regulating8. Illustrating this lack of county power and ability to deal with problems confronting them isa 1982 study by the Federal Advisory Commission of Intergovernmental Relationsa. It ranked Texas counties forty-third of the forty-eight states with county government interms of local discretionary authority
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