In late May, race organizers announced a U.S. Formula One race in Austin, Texas. In early Sept., their lawyer gave the first public briefing to elected officials.
At about minute marker 3:20, the court begins to ask questions and receives few answers.
More Austin Business Journal coverage:
http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2010/09/13/daily42.html
Background on Texas government and the Commissioners’ Court: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Texas#County_government
“Each county is run by a five-member Commissioners’ Court consisting of four commissioners elected from single-member districts (called precincts) and a county judge elected at-large. The county judge does not have authority to veto a decision of the commissioners court; the judge votes along with the commissioners. In smaller counties, the county judge actually does perform judicial duties, but in larger counties the judge’s role is limited to serving on the commissioners court. Certain officials, such as the sheriff and tax collector, are elected separately by the voters, but the commissioners court determines their office budgets, and sets overall county policy. All county elections are partisan.
Counties also have much less legal power than municipalities. For instance, counties in Texas do not have zoning power (except in very rare circumstances). However, counties do have eminent domain power. Counties do not have “home rule” authority; whatever powers are not specifically granted by the state are not permitted (as an example, most counties have no authority to require property owners to maintain their lands free of weeds and trash).
Unlike other states, Texas does not allow for consolidated city-county governments. Cities and counties (as well as other political entities) are permitted to enter “interlocal agreements” to share services (as an example, a city and a school district may enter into agreements with the county whereby the county bills for and collects property taxes for the city and school district; thus, only one tax bill is sent instead of three).”
Duration : 0:15:1
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